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Here I am. Kit! Don’t shoot! 






SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


Books by the Same Author 


Three Colonial Boys 
Three Young Continentals 
Washington’s Young Aids 
The Boys of Old Monmouth 
A Jersey Boy in the Revolution 
The Rider of the Black Horse 
The Red Chief 

Marching Against the Iroquois 
The Campfire of Mad Anthony 
Lighthouse Harry’s Legion 
The Young Sharpshooter 
Tecumseh’s Young Braves 
The Boy Soldiers of 1812 
Four Boys in the Yellowstone 
Four Boys in the Yosemite 
Ward Hill at Weston 
With Flintlock and Fife 
The Fort in the Forest 
Scouting with Daniel Boone 


PIONEER SCOUT SERIES 

\ 

SCOUTING WITH 
KIT CARSON 

EVERETT T>‘^OMLINSON 

Author of “Scouting with Daniel Boonef* etc. 



Illustrated hy John Frost 


GARDEN CITY 


NEW YORK 


DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 
1916 



Copyright , 1916, hy 
Doubleday, Page & Company 

All rights reserved, including that of 
translation into foreign languages, 
including the Scandinavian 



MAY 27 1916 


©CI.A431241 

I, 


PREFACE 


Perhaps it is unnecessary to explain that the 
purpose of the author primarily has been to write a 
story, not a biography. And yet behind the story 
stands the romantic character of the great trapper, 
scout, guide, messenger, and soldier — Kit Carson. 
In every way the aim has been to portray him in a 
manner that should be true to his unique person- 
ality and his adventurous life. There is a basis of 
truth for the incidents incorporated in the tale. 
Although exact chronology has been impossible, 
still an attempt has been made in a general way, to 
present in order, various phases of Kit Carson’s 
stirring life. The courage and truthfulness of the 
famous scout, his modesty and determination, as 
well as his fidelity and his friendliness are qualities 
of life never more in demand than to-day. Where 
can our boys and girls learn of their value better 
than in becoming familiar with a life which, what- 
ever its limitations may have been, surely possessed 
these valuable qualities. Is it not high time, too, 
for young Americans to be taught that in the ro- 
mance and adventure of the early days of our own 


PREFACE 


country there are heroes as deserving of recognition 
as the semi-fabulous characters in the early life of 
nations across the sea? Whatever may be taught 
of the latter, surely American boys and girls ought 
not to be ignorant of the early heroes of their 
own land. 

Everett T. Tomlinson. 

Elizabeth, New Jersey. 


vi 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Preface v 

CHAPTER 

I . The Camp on the Plains ... 3 

II . In Pursuit of a Herd .... 13 

III . Three Cheyennes 23 

IV . Rat True 33 

V. The Fame of the Trapper . . 43 

VI . Alone 52 

VII . Mountain Trout 62 

VIII . An Unexpected Meeting ... 71 

IX. Wolf’s Clothing 81 

X . Attacked 90 

XI . A Trying Experience . . . . 99 

XII . A Puzzling Messenger . . . 108 

XIII. Pursuit 117 

XIV. Captured 127 

XV. A Lonely Ride 136 

XVI . A Mountain Lion 145 

XVII . The Coming of Rat .... 154 

XVIII. A Fight 164 

vii 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XIX. Trapped 174 

XX. Wild Horses 185 

XXI. The Chase of the Leader. . . 194 

XXII . A White Man in the Indian Vil- 
lage 203 

XXIII. Baffled 212 

XXIV . A Fresh Attempt 220 

XXV. The Captive Leader .... 230 

XXVI . The Return of Rat .... 239 

XXVII. The Theft 247 

XXVIII . The Return 256 

XXIX. The Great Scout and the Great 

Explorer 265 

XXX . Conclusion 276 


viii 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


“ ‘Here I am, Kit! Don’t shoot I . . Frontispiece i^' 

(See page 134) 

FACING PAGE 

“Several Indians seated themselves before the ^ 

mouth of the cave” 128 

“The trembling boy was able to see the scout as ^ 
he drew his knife” 182 


“Instantly Kit Carson struck the treacherous red- 
skin a blow between his eyes with his fist” . 272 



SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


I 


I 


' . .V 


. I » 

• - i , 


. 1’ ) : 




Scouting with Kit Carson 


CHAPTER I 

THE CAMP ON THE PLAINS 

I AM glad we are going to stop here.” 

“It ees so. The boy ees mooch tired?” 
“Yes, I am tired,” responded Reuben Benton. 
“I have been in the saddle since before sun-up. 
Sometimes it seems to me as if I had been riding 
forever and a day.” 

The conversation ceased, and both men, leaping 
from the backs of their tired horses, first stretched 
themselves and then danced about in a manner not 
in the least suggestive of weariness. The action, 
however, was not so much to express their pleasure 
as to give relief to the cramped muscles of their 
backs and legs that now were almost numb. 

The ponies manifestly, too, were glad of the 
respite. It was a long trail from St. Louis, or 
Pain Court, as the trading post frequently was 
called ninety years before this story was written, 
to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. For 
[ 3 ] 


SCOUTING WITH ETT CAESON 

many days the two weary travellers had steadily 
ridden across the arid plains. In certain places 
they had forded rivers or had crossed on boats 
or rafts, that now were left far behind them. Here 
and there along the uncertain trail they had 
camped near the springs that occasionally were to 
be found. It was a spring which now had caused 
the two men to halt and to prepare their camp for 
the night. 

For a brief moment both men turned and looked 
sharply all about them. Not far away, although 
they were much farther than they appeared to be, 
the towering Rocky Mountains lifted their summits 
high in the air. Some of the peaks still were cov- 
ered with snow, although nearly all of them at this 
time in the summer were bare and bleak. Gorges 
and canons were plainly visible, and the keen 
look which each of the riders gave them indicated 
that they were aware that these great defiles among 
the giant hills might be the hiding-places of savage 
beasts or of no less savage Indians. Indeed, the 
latter were much more to be feared, for recently 
there had been an increasing hatred of the whites 
manifested by all the tribes of the prairies and the 
mountains beyond. Not that many white men as 
yet had ventured into the wilderness, but the few 
that had done so had aroused feelings of fear and 
anger lest the pale-faced men might be merely 
[ 4 ] 


THE CAMP ON THE PLAINS 

scouts for a larger body that was following them. 
Rumours of battles fought farther east between 
the Indians and the settlers had made their way 
somehow even across the plains. Many of the 
actions, as well as the activities, of certain of the 
trappers and hunters, in their occasional visits 
among the tribes, also had not tended to soothe the 
fears or allay the feelings of the suspicious redmen. 

Although thoughts of such perils were in the 
minds of the two men who had halted for the 
night, neither referred to them, nor was there any 
unusual anxiety betrayed by either. The horses 
now were hobbled, blankets were spread on the 
sandy soil, and a few cooking utensils were taken 
from the backs of the pack-horses, and all things 
were made ready speedily for the night that was 
fast approaching. 

The horse of Jean Badeau, the elder of the two 
men, would have been noticed even by a passing 
stranger. Even after the long ride of the day was 
ended, there still was a flash in the eyes of Pro- 
veau, as Jean called his horse, and splotches of foam 
were still flying from his mouth when he proudly 
tossed his head. 

The. horse of Reuben Benton, though its coat 
was not quite as sleek and its eyes betokened a 
greater weariness than those of his companion’s 
mount, still was manifestly fleet and strong. Four 
15 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

other ponies also were in the little caravan, and it 
was not long before the burdens they carried were 
removed from their backs and placed together on 
the ground. 

As soon as the contents of the packs were seen 
it was evident that the men were engaged in what 
was a not infrequent occupation in these early 
days: both men were trappers. Indeed, numerous 
traps tied together were seen among the burdens 
carried by the patient animals. Powder and lead, 
two or three blankets, a few cooking utensils, and 
a scanty store of provisions comprised most of the 
outfit of the little train. 

Of the two trappers, Jean Badeau was a man of 
medium height, with dark hair, and eyes piercing 
and black as midnight. His swarthy skin as well 
as his manner of shrugging his shoulders indicated 
that he was French. Whether he had come from 
St. Louis or Montreal, or even from France itself, 
he had not explained to his companion. It was in 
St. Louis, however, that Reuben first had met him, 
and there he had agreed to accompany Jean on his 
long journey to the Rockies, where they were to 
trap until late in the fall or early winter. 

Their first plan had been to go to the upper 
waters of the Missouri River. When, however, 
they learned that several large trapping parties 
were also planning to go to the same country, Jean 
[ 6 ] 


THE CAMP ON THE PLAINS 


decided that their opportunities would be better 
and their chances of success much more if they 
should leave their companions, and set their traps 
among the hills or mountains farther south, where 
some of the smaller streams had their rise. 

Jean was about thirty-eight or forty years of 
age. The muscles of his neck and shoulders indi- 
cated his great physical strength. His heavy 
chest and long arms were silent witnesses to the 
power of the Frenchman. 

Nor was Reuben Benton a weakling. Slightly 
taller than his companion, he, too, had dark hair 
and black eyes, but the tint of his skin indicated 
that it was due more to the sun and winds he had 
encountered on his long journey from St. Louis 
than to its original colouring. His eyes were 
expressive of the kindness of his heart, and it was 
clear that Reuben was not one that easily lost his 
temper or self-possession. Perhaps it was for this 
reason that Jean, whose success as a hunter and 
trapper was well known, had urged the lad to 
accompany him. He himself was the possessor of 
neither of these two virtues. Indeed, Reuben had 
told him that “he was not so much a man who had 
a temper as he was a man whose temper had him.’’ 

The difficulties confronting the two men were 
many. The food they had brought was not suffi- 
cient to provide for their wants more than a few 
[ 7 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

days, and for the greater part they must depend 
for supplies upon their own skill with their rifles. 
However, as game was plentiful in the region, 
neither was anxious concerning the outlook for their 
immediate future. They were much more fearful 
of the red-skinned Indians among the defiles of 
the mountains and of possible rivals whom they 
might encounter in their visits to their traps. 

Of all the trappers that had gone forth that year 
they were the only ones who had ventured to start 
with only two in the party. Whether or not they 
were wise in their undertaking will be better under- 
stood as the story of their adventures is unfolded. 

In a brief time after they had arrived at the 
spring their camp had been made, brush had been 
gathered for a fire, the horses had been hobbled, 
and Jean had taken his flint and tinder and after 
two quick attempts had started a fire in the dry 
brush. The sun was still well above the tops of 
the mountains, but darkness, when it fell, would 
come suddenly. 

“I’m telling you,” said Jean, “that we start on 
Friday. That is ver’ mooch onlucky.” 

“Why is it unlucky?” laughed Reuben, who was 
not greatly moved by the superstitious fears of 
his companion. “Do you think we shall have 
trouble or that we shan’t get any skins?” 

“I fear ver’ mooch the both things.” 

[ 8 ] 


THE CAMP ON THE PLAINS 

While Jean had been talking he had been pre- 
paring their simple supper. So engrossed was he 
in his occupation, as well as in the steady stream 
of talk he maintained, whether Reuben heeded his 
words or not, that he was unaware of w^hat was 
occurring in the vicinity of the camp. It was 
plain that he had entrusted to his younger com- 
panion the guardianship of the camp, while he 
himself prepared their simple evening meal. 

“Look out! Look out!” suddenly shouted Reu- 
ben. 

At the words of his companion Jean leaped to 
his feet, grasped his rifle, which he had left upon 
the sand nearby, and hastily turned in the direc- 
tion indicated by Reuben. In a brief time the 
sight which had aroused the younger trapper also 
stirred the older man. 

Not far away a buffalo calf was running directly 
toward the camp, evidently exerting itself to the 
utmost of its strength. Behind it in swift pursuit 
were following two long, gaunt wolves. 

“It is so scared,” Reuben suggested, “that it 
probably has taken us for a herd of buffaloes.” 

The calf by this time had in all likelihood dis- 
covered its mistake, but with undiminished speed 
it fvas continuing on its way directly through the 
camp. ^ 

The wolves, however, swiftly moved in a circuit 

[9] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

outside the camp, so that the fugitive secured a 
slight gain on its enemies, and in a moment was 
straining every nerve to reach a large herd which 
now could be seen at the foot of the hills not more 
than two miles away. 

“Why didn’t you shoot, Jean? ” inquired Reuben. 

The trapper shook his head as he replied, “No 
waste powder.” 

“It isn’t wasting powder to shoot one of those 
wolves!” replied Reuben. “It’s one of the best 
pieces of work you can do! Look yonder! It 
almost seems as if they had come up out of the 
ground. There’s one, two, three, four, five more 
now that have joined the two already there.” 

In silence the two trappers watched the pursuit, 
and in a brief time they saw that the number of 
wolves had increased to twenty or more. Indeed, 
the helpless victim was overtaken long before it 
could find a refuge among its fellows. The little 
animal fell an easy prey to its savage pursuers and 
was half devoured even before it was dead. 

“I wish I had shot heem,” muttered Jean. 

“If one of our horses had been saddled I would 
have helped out the little beggar. I wonder why 
it is that one always feels that he wants the weaker 
side to win?” inquired Reuben. 

Jean shrugged his shoulders, but made no reply, 
and once more resumed his task over the fire. Si- 
[ 10 ] 


THE CAMP ON THE PLAINS 


lence rested over the region, for Reuben was caring 
for the horses while his friend was busy with his 
labours. 

“I no think they fight mooch,” said Jean in a 
low voice. 

Reuben hastily glanced up at the words of his 
friend, as for a moment the fiight of the buffalo 
calf had been forgotten. Looking in the direction 
indicated by Jean, he saw that four or five buffaloes 
had advanced from the herd, keeping well together, 
and were moving toward the pack of wolves that 
still were busy over what remained of the unfor- 
tunate calf. 

“Perhaps they won’t,” responded Reuben, “but 
they are going to do something which is almost as 
bad.” 

Both men stood silent as they watched the herd. 
Although the animals were two miles distant, as 
has been said, in the clear air they seemed to be 
much nearer, and the entire herd was advancing in 
a body. Out from the ravine was coming a steadily 
increasing number of buffaloes. Soon the great 
herd, forming as if some one had been giving direc- 
tions which they understood, began to move in 
such a manner that for a moment it appeared as 
if the prowling wolves would be surrounded. In a 
brief time, however, the savage animals were aware 
of the threatening danger, and with incredible 
[ 11 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 


speed fled from the region. The advancing buffa- 
loes, however, did not halt when they saw their 
enemies disperse. Their speed steadily increased. 
The earth rumbled beneath the heavy tread of the 
myriad feet, producing a sound not unlike that of 
distant thunder. 

An exclamation of dismay or fear from Jean 
caused Reuben to glance hastily at his companion; 
and it was plain that Jean was anxious or alarmed. 
Not many minutes elapsed, however, before Reu- 
ben understood the source of his friend’s excite- 
ment and was sharing in his feeling of fear. 

The great herd, moving now as if it was con- 
trolled by one motive, with steadily increasing 
speed was directly approaching the very place 
which the trappers had selected for their camping- 
place. 


.[ 12 ] 


CHAPTER II 


IN PURSUIT OF A HERD 


O UEEK! Queekl” called Jean. "'At once! 
Immediately ! ” 

WTiether or not it was the call of his 
excited companion that influenced Reuben, his 
pony was quickly bridled, and almost at the same 
time both men leaped upon the backs of their 
horses. In spite of the weariness of both men and 
beasts, in a brief time all were alike highly excited. 
The great rumbling mass was steadily approaching 
and the horses also were aware of the peril that 
threatened. 

In Reuben’s heart there was a thought that if 
he and his companion should fire at the buffaloes 
the course of the mighty herd might be diverted. 
Perhaps even the direction in which they were 
moving would be turned and they would then 
avoid the camp. The young trapper had heard 
many stories of men and horses that had been 
trampled beneath the feet of a frantic herd of buf- 
faloes. 

As the huge animals came nearer and a mighty 
[ 13 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

bull was seen acting as an advance guard, Reuben 
glanced quickly at Jean to see whether or not he 
shared in his alarm. Nothing apparently would 
be able to stand in the way of the rush of the on- 
coming horde. It was a sight unlike any that 
Reuben ever had seen. 

On, and still on, dashed the animals, moving 
almost as if the swaying mass was one huge crea- 
ture. Neither Reuben nor Jean had as yet ad- 
vanced from the camp, but both were waiting with 
loaded rifles, unable to discover just what the exact 
course of the fleeing herd was to be. 

“How many are there?” inquired Reuben in a 
low voice. 

“About seven hundred.” 

Reuben whistled, but made no further response. 
Two minutes elapsed without any change in the 
direction in which the buffaloes were going. Then 
Jean said quickly, “I shall go to one side. It ees 
good for you to wait. When you shoot you must 
hit a cow, that ees the only meat that one can 
eat. II trouverait a tondre sur un oeuf.” 

Whenever Jean fell into the use of his native 
language Reuben was aware that his excitement 
was almost beyond control. What the words 
meant he had no conception, but an instant later 
he saw Jean dashing directly toward the approach- 
ing herd. His horse now apparently was as ex- 
114 ] 


IN PURSUIT OF A HERD 

cited as its rider. The weariness of the long jour- 
ney of the day was forgotten or ignored. 

Without any definite plan, Reuben departed 
from the camp, moving in accordance with Jean’s 
advice toward the rear of the animals. The great 
mass was now less than a half-mile distant, and as 
the two hunters separated and approached the 
herd, Reuben saw that they had come within three 
hundred yards before the presence of the two riders 
was discovered. Then there was a sudden agita- 
tion in the huge body. The band apparently 
wavered for a moment, and some of the bulls 
galloped to and fro along the borders of the herd, 
betraying the fact that the presence of enemies 
had been discovered. 

The progress of the trappers, however, was not 
stayed. Riding steadily forward, they drew nearer 
the buffaloes. To Reuben the interest of the chase 
had now become so intense that all other things were 
ignored. 

Suddenly the movements of the dense mass were 
changed. The body swerved in a semicircle and 
apparently was in swift flight for the foothills. 
Within a few seconds the entire herd had joined 
in the flight, a guard of bulls as usual bringing up 
the rear. Frequently some of them stopped, and 
faced about as if they intended to test the strength 
or learn the purpose of the men on horseback. In 
[ 15 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

every case, however, the huge animals speedily 
turned and once more dashed after the band, only 
to stop again and gaze at the horsemen. Indeed, 
as the minutes passed, Reuben was persuaded that 
the animals were minded to stand and fight. 

WTiatever may have been the impulse, however, 
as the hunters increased the pace at which they 
were riding the confusion in the herd became 
more manifest. The buffaloes were moving over 
the ground now with increasing swiftness, while 
the rumbling and roaring became steadily louder 
as the speed increased. 

Reuben, who had followed directions and was 
making for the rear of the herd, now lost sight of 
his companion. He had a momentary glimpse of 
Jean when he was about thirty yards from the 
border of the herd, dashing into its midst. He 
heard the loud shout of the Frenchman, “A beau 
jeu beau retour!” but as he did not understand any 
of the words he was ignorant of Jean’s purpose. 
He saw the mass give way, and a half-dozen or 
more of the bulls, that were less fleet than the cows, 
turned to face the approaching hunter. Several of 
them, however, were thrown to the earth by the 
mass of maddened animals and rolled over and over 
upon the ground, hardly to be distinguished from 
the clouds of dust that now were settling all about 
them. 


[ 16 ] 


IN PURSUIT OF A HERD 

Aware that Jean’s plan was, if possible, to sepa- 
rate one animal and pursue it until he had ap- 
proached its side and then aim directly at its heart, 
Reuben became so interested that for a brief time 
he almost forgot the task which had been assigned 
him. 

Recalled in a few moments, however, and aware 
that Jean no longer was to be seen, he shouted to 
his horse to increase its speed and soon was swiftly 
moving toward the rear. He saw one cow slightly 
separated from the mass, and in a moment he was 
pursuing her as swiftly as the wolves had followed 
the buffalo calf a little while before. 

Steadily the young trapper gained upon his 
victim until at last his horse was alongside the 
animal he was seeking. Partly rising in his stirrups 
Reuben, when only a yard separated him from the 
buffalo, fired. The animal fell headlong at the 
discharge of the rifle, and then Reuben checked 
his horse and looked about him for his companion. 
Not far away he discovered Jean tying his horse to 
the head of a cow, which he was preparing to cut 
up. 

Filled with the spirit of the chase, Reuben de- 
cided that he would try to secure another cow. 
As he swiftly advanced he heard a shout from Jean, 
“Le coiit en ote le goiit!” Still he did not under- 
stand what was said, and in his determination to 
[ 17 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

secure another victim he did not heed the call, 
and soon was engaged in the mad pursuit of the 
flying herd. 

Whether or not it was due to the weariness of 
the horse he was riding, or to the increased speed 
of the buffaloes, Reuben never knew, but at all 
events he was compelled to continue the pursuit 
for a long distance. Unaware of the passing time 
and unmindful of the fact that the sun now was 
disappearing below the western horizon, intent 
solely upon securing another buffalo, Reuben still 
followed in the chase. A thick cloud of dust fllled 
his mouth and eyes and at times nearly smothered 
him. There were moments, too, when the herd was 
not to be seen, so concealed was it by the cloud which 
the hundreds of feet had stirred up in the desert. 

He was aware also that the buffaloes were crowd- 
ing more closely together, and the body was so 
compact that he was beginning to question whether 
or not he would be able to force an entrance and 
cut off any of the animals from the others. The 
dull and confused murmuring at times was as dis- 
tinctly heard as was the noise of the many feet. 
Many times before Reuben had seen herds of buf- 
faloes in the distance, but this had been the flrst 
time he had joined in a chase. 

Jean had told him often of his own experiences 
in buffalo hunting, and in his own peculiar way 
[ 18 ] 


IN PURSUIT OF A HERD 

had declared that ‘‘Indians and the buffalo pro- 
vide the poetry and life of the prairie.” 

WTienever a discovery of a herd had been made 
Jean had insisted upon hunting alone. Even now 
Reuben could picture the excited Frenchman shout- 
ing to his horse, “Avance done!” and cracking his 
whip to urge the fleet animal into its best paces. 
Often Reuben had shared in the feast that had 
followed, enjoying the tongues and steaks which 
his companion insisted were the only choice bits of 
meat that the buffalo provided. While these 
pieces were being roasted on sticks held over the 
fire, Reuben in a measure had been content because 
of the feast that was promised. Now, he himself 
was a buffalo hunter and already had secured one 
victim. 

Unaware how far he was leaving his companion 
behind him, and ignorant of the direction in which 
he was moving as he followed the herd, Reuben 
still maintained the pursuit. He was unaware 
also of another change in the course of the animals. 
He had ridden near to the border of the terrified 
mass, but for some reason had been unable to 
penetrate it, or to separate one from the others. 

As the herd swung to the right, Reuben found 
that he was being crowded by the animals, that 
apparently either were unaware of his presence or 
ignored their peril. He was ignorant of the fact 
[ 19 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


that the herd was passing over dangerous ground. 
Many times in his long rides across the plains 
Reuben had passed through a prairie-dog village. 
The sight of the little creatures sitting erect upon 
their haunches, watching the approaching stranger 
on horseback, had become so common that he had 
given slight heed to the little animals. Nor had 
he once thought of them as a source of danger. 

Still the flight and the pursuit were maintained. 
Several times the horse which Reuben was riding 
stumbled and nearly fell, but every time the pony 
was able to regain its foothold and dashed forward 
with undiminished speed. 

Reuben was now aware that the animal he was 
riding was breathing heavily and doubtless was 
feeling the effect of its swift pace after the long 
ride of the day. As soon as he had secured the cow 
he desired — for now the young trapper had selected 
the animal which he intended to shoot — ^he decided 
that he would give his horse a long rest before he 
returned to the camp. 

Suddenly one of the forefeet of his horse sank 
into a hole which the prairie-dogs had made. 
Glancing about him, Reuben saw that he was in 
the midst of a village of the little animals. With 
an effort he maintained his seat in the saddle, for 
he was an expert horseman, and an ordinary fall 
had little peril for him. This time, however, his 
[ 20 ] 


IN PURSUIT OF A HERD 


horse was unable to regain its foothold. It stum- 
bled and staggered several steps, and then with a 
groan sank to the ground. 

As it fell, Reuben slipped from its back and 
leaped lightly to the ground. Advancing to the 
head of his horse, he seized the bridle and attempted 
to lift the animal to its feet. It was unable to 
rise, and a brief examination convinced the young 
trapper that the fall had broken its leg. 

The thunder of the flying herd now sounded 
farther away. In the dim light Reuben saw that 
the buffaloes were still running swiftly and were 
headed for a valley or defile among the hills not 
far distant. Once there, doubtless they would be 
secure from attack. 

His own predicament, however, was too appall- 
ing to enable Reuben long to think of the fleeing 
herd. He was miles distant from his companion, 
his horse had fallen with a broken leg, and night 
was upon him, while his perils doubtless would be 
greatly increased before morning came. For a 
moment the heart of the young hunter was heavy. 
A groan of his faithful pony recalled him to the 
necessity of action. There was no hope of restor- 
ing the suffering brute, and, advancing to its head, 
without hesitating a moment, Reuben fired at the 
heart of the panting, suffering animal. With 
scarcely a quiver the horse became still. 

[ 21 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

His own problem, however, was still unsolved, 
as Reuben now was fully aware. The cloud of 
dust in part had disappeared in the dim light. 
He looked all about him, but not a trace of Jean or 
the camp was he able to discover. He was alone 
on the trackless plains and by no means certain of 
the direction in which he had come or of the way 
in which he should go. 


[ 22 ] 


CHAPTER III 


THREE CHEYENNES 

R euben was aware that he was not far 
from the base of one of the highest moun- 
tains. As once more he looked up and 
peered intently in every direction, he ^^as aware 
also that no one was within sight. The poor 
beast on which he had ridden was dead and there 
was no means by which the young trapper might 
return to the camp where he had left his friend. 
In the distance the herd of buffaloes still could be 
seen, a tiny mass moving across the plains in the 
dim light. Even while he was gazing at them they 
disappeared and were lost to sight among the foot- 
hills. 

Reuben was aware that he had shot one cow, 
but where the animal had fallen or how far it was 
from the place where he now was standing he had 
no means of knowing. He looked behind him, but 
was unable to discover even his own trail in the 
sand. All traces had been destroyed by the hoof- 
prints of the mighty herd of fleeing animals. 

In what direction had he come? Reuben was 
[231 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

aware that in a general way he had followed the 
line of foothills, but it was plain to him now that 
the herd which he had pursued had not moved in 
a straight course. In and out over the uneven 
ground, the animals, frantic with fear, had fled 
for safety. 

The young trapper was aware also that he was 
hungry, and yet he had no food. If he could secure 
the carcass of the buffalo cow he had shot his 
wants would be supplied. The light, however, 
was too dim to enable him to see far away, and 
even in clear daylight he was doubtful if he could 
see the body in the distance. 

Again he tried to discover the fire or smoke of 
the camp which he and Jean had made. Not a 
trace of it, however, was to be seen. It was quite 
likely that the very fire itself had been scattered 
by the herd when they had dashed across the 
plains. The pack-horses, too, doubtless had fled, 
and Reuben shuddered as he thought what was 
likely to be their fate before the morning appeared. 
The pursuit of the buffalo calf by the gaunt, hun- 
gry wolves was only an indication of what might 
occur when the ponies, wearied by their efforts 
throughout the day, would be in no condition to 
escape from the attack of the savage animals. 

For several minutes Reuben remained standing, 
slowly turning in his position until he had looked 
[ 24 ] 


THREE CHEYENNES 


about the entire region. He listened intently, 
hoping that he might hear the sound of Jean’s 
rifle. The oppressive silence of the great desert, 
however, was unbroken. Twinkling stars had 
appeared in the sky, the air was motionless, the 
solitude was almost appalling, and within a few 
minutes Reuben decided that he must take his 
rifle and saddle and proceed in the direction in 
which he thought the camp was located. 

The boy, however, was now feeling the full force 
of the reaction after his strenuous day. Every 
muscle in his body seemed to be sore. He ad- 
vanced with difficulty, and the saddle somehow 
appeared to be much heavier than when he had 
thrown it on the back of his pony. 

It was impossible for him to think of remaining 
where he was. He was hungry as well as tired, 
and the fear of an attack by a pack of hungry 
wolves was more than a vague impression. 

Suddenly Reuben saw the outline of three dim 
forms approaching on horseback. Startled by 
the unexpected sight, the boy remained motionless 
and waited for the strangers to come near him. 
The sight was not one to soothe the fears of the 
troubled young trapper, but he was convinced that 
f his safest course was to await their coming. 

Accustomed now to the dim light, not many 
minutes elapsed before the young man was able 
[ 25 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

to see that the advancing party was composed 
of three Indians. One of them was much smaller 
than his two companions and perhaps was a lad. 
Who they were or why they should be coming at 
that time he was unable to conjecture. 

It was plain, however, that his presence had 
been discovered, for a slight divergence in the 
course the Indians were following showed that 
they were now approaching. In a brief time they 
drew near and one of them spoke. ‘ ‘ How ? How ? ’ ’ 
inquired the leader. At the same time he indicated, 
by extending his open hands, that no hostile action 
was intended. 

Following their example, Reuben also held forth 
his hands in a way to indicate his peaceful inten- 
tions. 

“Where go?” inquired the Indian that before 
had spoken. 

“I want to find my camp,” answered Reuben. 
He was relieved by his discovery that the three 
Indians were poorly mounted, the beasts which 
they were riding apparently being well-nigh ex- 
hausted. The smallest member of the party he 
now discovered was an Indian boy, perhaps fif- 
teen years of age. It was manifest, too, that the 
spokesman was the only one able to speak Eng- 
lish. 

“WTiere go? Where go?” repeated the Indian. 


THREE CHEYENNES 

‘‘I want to find my camp,” again answered Reu- 
ben. “I left my partner back yonder somewhere, 
while I went out to shoot buffaloes. My horse 
stumbled and fell in a prairie-dog village over here. 
The poor brute broke his leg and I had to shoot 
him. I thought I was not very far from camp, 
but I reckon now I am a good deal farther than 1 
thought 1 was. Where are you going.^^ Who are 
you?” 

“Cheyenne,” answered the Indian promptly. 
“We go home.” 

“How far do you go?” inquired Reuben. 

The Indian held up three fingers of his right hand 
to indicate the distance which must be covered 
before they rejoined their tribe. 

“Three miles!” said Reuben, startled by the 
suggestion. 

The Indian laughed and, shaking his head, again 
held up his three fingers. 

“Three hundred miles, you mean?” said Reu- 
ben. 

The Indian nodded his head several times to 
indicate that the young white had spoken correctly. 
Plainly the words “hundred” and “miles” were 
not in his vocabulary. 

Patting himself upon the chest, the Indian said: 
“Me Breaker of Arrows. Come to Pawnee coim- 
try. Try to get Pawnee ponies.” 

[271 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


‘‘You mean you came out here to steal their 
horses?” inquired Reuben. 

“No steal; take horses.” 

“How many did you get? It doesn’t look as if 
you had had very great success. These ponies 
you are riding look as if they had been turned 
loose by the Pawnees. They aren’t worth feed- 
ing.” 

“Pawnee heap coward!” said the Indian grimly. 
“Pawnee shut up horses in lodges at night.” 

“Did they find you?” inquired Reuben. 

“No find. Breaker of Arrows, Cheyenne. Dark 
Night, no find,” added the warrior, pointing to the 
boy as he spoke. 

The third member of the party apparently was 
ignored. 

“Where did you get these ponies?” 

“Ponies wild. Get horses on plains.” 

“They look as if they were wild,” said Reuben. 
“Have you had anything to eat?” 

“No eat,” replied the warrior; at least the man 
was posing as a warrior, although the only weapons 
the three Cheyennes carried were bows and arrows 
and one long spear, which was in the hands of the 
spokesman. 

“I shot a buffalo cow.” 

“Where buffalo?” demanded the Cheyenne 
quickly. 


[ 28 ] 


THREE CHEYENNES 

“I wish I knew,” replied Reuben lightly. ‘‘I 
am hungry and tired. I ought to have stopped 
when I shot one, for one was enough, but I kept on, 
thinking I would get another, and so I passed the 
place where the cow fell. If you can find it you 
will have something for supper, for I will be glad 
to share with you. ” 

The Cheyenne turned and spoke in his own 
tongue to his companions. After a hasty conver- 
sation the spokesman once more turned to Reuben 
and by the aid of signs and a few words intimated 
his desire for the young trapper to remain where 
he then was while the Indians searched for the 
body of the fallen buffalo. 

Somewhat suspicious that if the strangers should 
succeed in finding the dead animal they might not 
return, Reuben nevertheless agreed to the sugges- 
tion, at the same time striving to conceal his own 
fears. 

At once the Indians departed after they had 
secured from Reuben his impressions of the direc- 
tion in which they should go. The boy watched 
them until the outlines of their forms no longer 
could be seen in the dim light. It was plain to 
him that they were moving in parallel lines at a 
considerable distance from one another. 

Casting his saddle upon the ground, Reuben 
stretched himself on the sand, using the saddle as 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

a pillow. His rifle was loaded and placed beside 
him, and in a brief time the young trapper was 
sleeping soundly. 

How long he had slept he was unable to decide 
when he was suddenly aroused from his slumber by 
the sound of approaching footsteps. Lifting his 
head but still retaining his position, Reuben 
peered in every direction to discover the approach- 
ing party. At first he was unable to see what had 
awakened him, but in a brief time he saw a man 
approaching on horseback. In a little while he 
was convinced that the man was an Indian, and if 
so doubtless was one of the party which he recently 
had seen. His impression was confirmed when in 
a low voice the approaching Indian spoke: “Find 
um buffalo. ” 

“Where is it?” inquired Reuben. 

The Indian did not reply, but alighted from his 
pony, for by this time he had drawn near the place 
where Reuben was standing, and bade him follow. 

“Where are you going?” inquired Reuben. 

Still the Indian did not explain, and after a brief 
hesitation Reuben decided to obey the suggestion. 

Slowly the Cheyenne, who still was on the back 
of his pony, led the way toward the foothills that 
now seemed to be nearer than before. In a brief 
time the desired point was gained and there 
Reuben discovered the Indian boy who had been 
[ 30 ] 


THREE CHEYENNES 

with him a little while before. The third Indian, 
however, was no longer to be seen, and no explana- 
tions were given for his absence, although Reuben 
asked several times where the other member of the 
party was. 

Sheltered by a huge rocky boulder, the Indians 
soon kindled a fire and parts of the buffalo tongue 
and steaks which they had cut from the carcass 
were roasting on sticks held over the flames. 

Conversation ceased until the repast was pre- 
pared and eaten. Then Reuben inquired: “Did 
you see anything of my friend?” 

“No see. WTiat do now?” 

“Do you mean what I am going to do? ” inquired 
Reuben. “Well, I wish some one would answer 
that question for me.” 

“Breaker of Arrows go home. Black Night come, 
too. W^hite boy want to go with us?” 

“No,” answered Reuben, “I must stay here. 
I must find my friend.” 

Apparently his explanation satisfied his com- 
panions, for in a brief time they mounted their 
ponies and prepared to leave Reuben alone in the 
little valley or defile where the buffalo meat had 
been roasted. 

It was impossible for Reuben to resume his 
search for Jean. In the place where he then was 
he was protected from sudden attacks and he 
[ 31 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

decided to remain there and await the coming of 
the morning. 

The night passed without any adventures, but 
when morning came the light revealed to Reuben 
a sight even more startling than that of the pre- 
ceding evening, when the three Cheyennes had 
discovered him alone on the plains. 


[ 32 ] 


CHAPTER IV 


RAT TRUE 

I N THE light of the early morning Reuben 
saw a man on horseback approaching the 
place where he was standing. Behind him 
were two pack-horses, each heavily laden. 

Convinced that the man was a stranger and 
that as yet he had not discovered the presence of 
any one besides himself in the defile, the first 
impulse that seized upon the young trapper was to 
seek some place of safety. 

He waited, however, excitedly watching the 
stranger as he led the little procession up the nar- 
row natural pathway. It soon was evident that 
the stranger was a white man, and, once convinced 
of that fact, Reuben’s fears in a measure departed. 
What a man could be doing among the foothills of 
the Rockies, so far from companions and civiliza- 
tion, was something he was unable to conjecture. 
The bundles on the backs of the horses indicated 
that it might be possible that he had come with a 
purpose not unlike that which had drawn him and 
Jean to the region. At ah events, he decided that 
[ 33 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


he would not flee immediately. Hastily examin- 
ing his rifle to make sure that it was ready for 
immediate use if occasion required, he awaited the 
coming of the man. 

There was a slight bend in the valley, which for 
a moment hid the approaching stranger from sight. 
As soon as the man turned the bend, however, 
he discovered Reuben before him, and instantly 
stopped, grasped his rifle, and gazed intently at the 
unexpected sight. 

“WTio are you?” demanded the stranger. 

‘T was just going to ask you that question 
myself,” replied Reuben, laughing in a manner 
that served to allay much of the suspicions of the 
newcomer. 

“My name is Rat True. Now that I have told 
you that much,” said the stranger, “tell me who 
you are. ” 

“My name is Reuben Benton,” acknowledged 
the young trapper. 

“Good name,” said the other man, laughing 
boisterously. Now that he had discovered that 
apparently there was only one man approaching, 
Reuben’s confidence in his own ability to protect 
himself returned in full measure. \ 

“What are you doing here?” demanded Rat. 

“Trying to get out.” 

“Where did you come from?” 


RAT TRUE 


“ Last night I came from the plains. I was chasing 
a buffalo herd and my horse fell in a prairie-dog vil- 
lage and broke his leg. I had to shoot him.” 

“You weren’t alone, were you?” 

“No.” 

“Who was with you?” 

“Three Cheyennes came to join me for a little 
while, but then they went on, so I was left alone.” 

“Yes, but who was with you before the redskins?” 

“Jean Badeau.” 

“Who’s he?” 

“A trapper.” 

“He’s a trapper, is he? Well, has he ever tried 
it before?” 

“Yes.” 

“WTiere did he sell his skins?” 

“Sometimes he took them to the trading-post and 
sometimes he took them to Pain Court.” 

“Are you and he the only men here?” 

“Yes,” answered Reuben with a laiigh. “And 
he isn’t here now. At least I can’t find him.” 

“WTiere did you leave him?” 

“I can’t even find the place where I left him. 
You see, as I told you, I started out last night to 
shoot one or two buffaloes. I got one and then 
I chased along after another, but I think I must 
have gone farther than I knew, for I couldn’t find 
my way back before dark.” 

[ 35 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

“Do you think that you can find it now that it 
is light?” 

“I don’t know,” replied Reuben dubiously. As 
he spoke he glanced in the direction in which it 
seemed to him the place where he had left Jean 
must lie. 

“I don’t mind telling you,” began the stranger, 
“that I’m a trapper myself.” 

“Have you ever been here before?” 

The man, who was at least six feet three inches 
tall, and large in every way, threw back his head 
and emitted a laugh that was proportionate to the 
size of his body. 

‘“Have I been here before?’” repeated the 
stranger. “Well, just a little. Last year I took 
in over one thousand beaver skins. I shot more 
than two hundred buffaloes. I hugged a grizzly 
bear until he yelled for mercy. I killed two Utes 
with one bullet. ” 

Reuben was looking intently at the stranger as 
he spoke and was inclined to believe that he was 
telling the truth. It was plain that the newcomer 
was a man of great physical strength, and his 
exploits, which he described in a loud voice, were 
not altogether improbable. At all events, the boy 
decided that the man was in nowise bashful, what- 
ever his other faults might be. 

“Yes, sir,” continued Rat. “I guess if you were 
[ 36 ] 


RAT TRUE 


to ask the redskins about me there aren’t many of 
them that can’t tell you who I am. I’ve fought 
them single-handed and alone, and then, again, 
I’ve fought them when there were hundreds of 
them together. I thought at first I would go up 
along the Oregon this trip, but I soon decided that 
too many others would be there, too. I don’t like 
company. That’s the reason I wasn’t very much 
pleased when I first saw you here.” 

‘‘Do you own this country out here?” inquired 
Reuben soberly. 

“I can’t just say as how I own it,” laughed the 
giant, “ but there aren’t many who will dispute what 
I claim. Where did you say your friend is? ” 

“ I didn’t say. That’s just what I want to know.” 

“Well, what are you planning to do?” 

“The first thing I have got to do is to find Jean. 
Then I suppose we’ll start pretty soon for the place 
where we are going to begin our trapping. ” 

“I hope you don’t trespass on any of my terri- 
tory.” 

Reuben did not respond to the suggestion, and a 
moment later the newcomer said: “Have you had 
your breakfast yet?” 

“Not yet,” replied Reuben. “I was just going 
to have it.” 

“What have you got to eat?” 

“Buffalo tongue and some strips of steak.” 

[ 37 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

‘‘ Good ! That’s mighty good ! I’ll help you get 
ready,” said the giant. ‘T’ll do you a good turn 
even if I shan’t let you trap along the streams 
what I preempt for myself.” 

Acting upon his suggestion the trapper dis- 
mounted and removed the saddle from the horse he 
was riding. The pack-laden animals, however, he 
did not relieve in the same way. 

‘T’m thinkin’ I’ll stay here and help you with 
your breakfast,” he repeated. 

Reuben, who at once had begun to make prepa- 
rations for the morning meal, was unable to see for 
a time, at least, where the “help” of his uninvited 
visitor was shown. As soon, however, as the 
pieces of buffalo meat had been cooked and the 
repast was ready, Reuben discovered how capable 
the giant w^as to “help” in disposing of the food 
which he had provided. Indeed, Rat was in- 
creasingly free with his advice and directions as to 
what Reuben should do, and for several reasons 
the boy did not refuse to obey, or even to follow, 
any of the proffered suggestions. 

WTien at last the food had disappeared, the 
giant remarked: “Then you think you will look 
up your camp, do you?” 

“I want to look up Jean.” 

“Well, isn’t that the same thing? I’ll tell you 
what I’ll do. You have been good to me ‘ and 
[ 38 ] 


RAT TRUE 


given me a bite, now I’ll take the pack off of one 
o’ the ponies and let you saddle it, and then we’ll go 
out and look for your friend. I hope he really is 
somewhere,” added Rat, suspiciously. 

“He was, the last I knew,” laughed Reuben. 

In a brief time the suggestion of Rat had been 
followed, and after Reuben had carefully adjusted 
his saddle to the pony of his companion they de- 
cided to leave the remaining pony in the defile while 
they set forth on their search for the missing Jean. 

Still Rat was loquacious. Apparently it made 
little difference whether or not Reuben replied or 
even listened to what he was saying. “You asked 
me a spell ago did I own these streams out here 
where I’m trapping. I told you I didn’t know as 
I did, but I likewise remarked that no one else had 
been putting in no claim for them. I don’t think 
many of them are likely to, not while I’m ’round. ” 

“There aren’t likely to be any here, are there?” 
remarked Reuben. 

“You’re here, aren’t you?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well, isn’t the other fellow that was with you? 
Isn’t he here?” 

“That’s what I’m trying to find out,” laughed 
Reuben. 

“So am I,” roared the giant. “If you’re here, 
it may be somebody else will be here, too. Now, 
[ 39 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


let me tell you that there isn’t anybody in creation 
what is going to set traps along the same streams 
where I set mine.” 

“How will you stop it?” inquired Reuben. 

“Do you see that?” inquired the giant as he 
held up for Reuben’s inspection an immense fist. 
“With that bunch of bones I have knocked down an 
ox. If anything happens to that fist, then I have 
got something else to fall back upon,” and with a 
loud laugh the giant held up his rifie. “And if 
worst comes to worst,” he continued, “I have got 
something in my belt here that will help take care 
of me. ” 

As he spoke he drew from his belt a long, slim, 
sharply pointed piece of steel, which he explained 
had once been a bayonet, but by repeated filings 
had been reduced to its present shape and size. 
That it was a dangerous weapon Reuben instantly 
understood. 

“That time I was hugging that grizzly,” re- 
sumed Rat, “or, rather, that time when he was 
hugging me, do you know I just tickled his ribs 
with that instrument?” 

“Did he like it?” inquired Reuben. 

“He didn’t live long enough to say. There was 
a grin on his face though when he doubled over, so 
I guess he didn’t feel so bad as he made out, though 
he was pretty dead when I left him. ” 

[ 40 ] 


RAT TRUE 


"‘What do you mean by ‘pretty dead?”’ 

“Dead as a door-nail.” 

“But when one is dead he can’t be any deader, 
can he?” persisted Reuben. 

“I don’t know about that. That bear didn’t 
look as if he was dead, but he was. Now, suppose 
I had blown him all to pieces, and couldn’t find as 
much as a nail or a tooth left, I guess he would be 
deader then than he was when he just had my 
knife in between his ribs. Where did you say this 
fellow came from?” 

“What fellow?” 

“Why this man that you were with — this fellow 
Jean.” 

“Pain Court.” 

“Is that where you belong?” 

“Yes.” 

“Ever heard o’ Kit Carson?” 

“I have that!” said Reuben eagerly. “I know 
him. I have seen him. ” 

“How long ago?” 

“He was there early in the summer not long 
before we left. Indeed, he wanted us to go with 
him.” 

“WKy didn’t you?” remarked Rat. His eyes, 
which were unnaturally small, contracted as he 
spoke, until the expression startled the young 
trapper. 


[ 41 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

“Because Jean thought we would do better not 
to go with a crowd, but to go off by ourselves.” 

“That Jean of yours is a fool.” 

“But I thought that is what you yourself said,” 
suggested Reuben, “and that you wanted to trap 
alone and not with a good many others.” 

“ There’s a mighty sight o’ difference when I say 
it and when this friend o’ yours says it.” 

“What’s the difference?” 

“Look here, my friend,” said Rat, turning 
sharply upon his companion. “There are better 
men than you got into trouble from asking too 
many questions.” 

“But you asked a good many questions of me.” 

“Did I get into any trouble by askin’ ’em?” 
demanded Rat, as he laughed loudly. 

“Not yet.” 

“What do you mean by ‘not yet?’” 

“Oh, nothing.” 

By this time the two men had proceeded far from 
the place from which they had started, and still 
Reuben was unable to recognize any signs of the 
locality where he and Jean had prepared to make 
their camp the preceding night. 

Suddenly, however, he abruptly halted and, 
pointing toward a spot not far away, he excitedly 
demanded: “What’s that? What do you make of 
that?” 


[ 42 ] 


CHAPTER V 


THE FAME OF THE TRAPPER 

I N RESPONSE to Reuben’s startling questions 
both men halted and looked keenly in the 
direction in which he was pointing. 

‘‘Is that where your camp was?” inquired Rat. 
“It looks like it,” replied Reuben quietly as he 
hastened toward the spot he had discovered on 
the plains. Both were silent until they arrived at 
the place they were seeking. Then, after a hasty 
inspection, Reuben said quickly: “This is where 
Jean and I camped last night.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“I know it is,” said Reuben positively after 
further investigation. 

“Where is your friend now?” 

“That’s what I should like to know, myself,” 
responded Reuben, as he peered intently about 
him in all directions. 

“What are you going to do about it?” inquired 
Rat after a brief silence. 

“It’s strange where Jean could have gone,” 
said Reuben slowly, almost as if he was uncon- 
[ 43 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

scious of the presence of his companion. ‘‘He isn’t 
a man likely to be drawn into trouble. I have 
been wondering if the redskins got him.” 

“If they did they carried him off.” 

“But there are no signs of any scuffle,” pro- 
tested Reuben, as once more he examined the 
ground around where the fire had been. 

“He may not have put up any fight.” 

“You don’t know Jean,” said Reuben positively. 
“It’s strange. The ponies are gone. There isn’t 
a sign of the packs, and Jean isn’t to be seen any- 
where. ” 

“What are you goin’ to do about it?” repeated 
Rat. “You know I can’t stay here forever. I’ve 
got to look after my own job. I usually find that 
if I ever have anything or get anything done it is 
because Rat True looks after it. Ever noticed that, 
boy?” 

“I wonder where Jean can be,” repeated Reuben, 
almost as if he had not heard the inquiry of the 
giant. 

“Maybe if you stay here long enough he will 
show up. That’s what my father used to tell me 
about the cows. He told me if I would take my 
milkin’ pail and go out and sit down in the middle 
of the pasture, pretty soon the cows would all come 
up and ask me to milk them. So I’m thinkin’ it 
may be a good thing for you to sit down here, and 
[ 44 ] 


THE FAME OF THE TRAPPER 


perhaps your friend, if there is such a friend, will 
come back. ” 

“What do you mean?” demanded Reuben 
quickly, as he turned and faced his companion. 
“Don’t you think Jean was here?” 

“That’s what you say; I have your word for it.” 

Reuben’s cheeks slowly flushed, but he wisely 
controlled his anger and did not respond to the im- 
plied unbelief of the huge Rat. 

“I told you I couldn’t stay here all day,” con- 
tinued Rat. “Now will you go back with me to 
the place where we started, or do you want to go 
on alone? I shan’t let you have that pony if you 
don’t go back with me, and if you do go I want you 
to understand right now that we part company 
when we get back to the gorge.” 

Still Reuben did not respond to the rough 
declaration, for he was yet uncertain what his best 
course would be. 

“Come, make up your mind,” called Rat, as he 
turned his horse about so that he faced the direction 
from which they had come. 

“I’m going back with you,” said Reuben quietly. 

“All right, then, come along.” 

Together the two men departed from the camp, 
but they had not gone far before Rat insisted upon 
drawing his young companion into conversa- 
tion. 

[ 45 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 


‘‘You was tellin’ about Kit Carson a spell ago/’ 
he suggested. 

“Yes.” 

“Well, what about him? What is his name 
anyway? What does ‘Kit’ stand for?” 

“ Christopher. ” 

“And they call him Kit for short?” 

“Yes.” 

“Same as they call me Rat instead of Erastus.” 

“I didn’t know but Rat was your real name,” 
said Reuben. 

“It is,” laughed Rat, “only it isn’t all there is of 
it when my mother speaks to me. Speaking of Kit 
Carson, you say you have seen him?” 

“Lots of times.” 

“Did you ever talk to him?” 

“Yes.” 

“Tell me about him.” 

Instantly Reuben’s face lighted and it was evi- 
dent that the request of his companion was one that 
touched a responsive chord. 

“He’s the greatest man I ever saw,” he declared 
enthusiastically. 

“The biggest?” 

“No, I didn’t say biggest, I said greatest.” 

“What’s the difference?” roared Rat. 

“I cannot explain it to you,” said Reuben truth- 
fully, for his feeling toward the boastful Erastus 
[ 46 ] 


THE FAME OF THE TRAPPER 

was rapidly becoming one of disgust. The man 
was so blatant and boastful that the reaction had 
taken place which led Reuben to believe that he 
was not all that he claimed to be. 

‘‘Where did he come from?” inquired Rat. 

“He told me he was born in Kentucky, but that 
his father moved to the backwoods of Missouri 
when Kit was a little fellow. ” 

“How old is he?” 

“I don’t know. I think he is about twenty-five 
or six. ” 

“Quite an old man, isn’t he?” laughed Rat. 
“Do you think he could throw me?” 

“Yes,” said Reuben quietly. 

“That’s a good one!” roared Rat. “I could 
take him in my hands and crack him the way I 
would a stick. I am told he is a little fellow. ” 

“Yes, he isn’t very large,” acknowledged Reu- 
ben. “He isn’t much taller than I am, and he is 
light. His voice is as soft as a girl’s. Any one 
might think when he first saw him that he was the 
most peaceful fellow in the county.” 

“Isn’t he?” 

“He never picks a quarrel, but anybody who 
picked a quarrel with him would wish that he had 
grabbed a grizzly instead of the quiet, peaceable 
little Kit Carson. ” 

“Tell me some more about him, ” suggested Rat. 

[ 47 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

‘‘I don’t know that I know very much. I have 
talked with him and asked him a good many times 
to tell me about his adventures, but he is very mod- 
est.” 

“Your modest men are always cowards. They 
don’t say anything, because they are afraid.” 

“It’s plain you don’t know Kit Carson. He 
told me that when he was fifteen years old his 
father ’prenticed him to a harness-maker. That 
was a good trade, but such a quick, nimble fellow 
as Kit couldn’t work at it very long. He did stay 
his full two years, though, and learned the trade, 
but when his time was out he decided that he 
would become a trapper. That was what he had 
always wanted to be. He told me that when he 
was a little fellow one of the trappers that had 
come in with his skins let him pull the trigger of 
his gun. That was the first time Kit had ever fired 
a rifle, but he wanted to keep at it, he liked it so 
well, and pretty soon he not only learned to shoot, 
but he became the best shot in the neighbourhood. 
The Indians all liked him and they told him a 
great many things about the woods and the animals 
that live there. You see, when his father first 
went into Howard County all the settlers had to 
live in a log fort for a while, that had guards on the 
lookout for the Indians day and night. That was 
a part of Kit’s work when he was a little chap. 

[ 48 ] 


THE FAME OF THE TRAPPER 

He got so that he knew the war-whoops of every 
tribe and almost every redskin. My father used 
to say that if Kit Carson did so well in his harness- 
making, which he didn’t like, he wondered what he 
would do when he found some work that he en- 
joyed.” 

“Did he go to trapping right away?” 

“He was on the lookout all the time, and pretty 
soon he went to the leader of a party that was 
going to start for Santa Fe. You see, then there 
were no trails marked out over the plains. That 
was a good while ago — in 1826.” 

“And I wish there wasn’t any now,” suggested 
Rat. “In those days they tried to hide the trails, 
and now they try to make ’em plain. The red- 
skins know every time a party starts with their 
traps, and wherever you find game you find Indians 
there, too. ” 

“Yes. Kit Carson told me some stories of how 
parties of Indians surrounded the trappers or 
traders and took their guns and horses away from 
them and either tomahawked the men or left 
them to starve. But every man in Kit Carson’s 
party was well armed, had a good horse, and was 
up to all the tricks of the Indians. I have seen 
them start out, every man wearing a deerskin 
suit, and some of the men all dressed up with bead 
embroidery, and the fringes of their shirts dyed 
[49] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 


half a dozen different colours. They had pack 
mules to carry the traps, and when they all started 
they marched in Indian fashion, single file. They 
took turns in going ahead, for the ones that went 
first had to break the way for the others. Then, 
there was a bugler at the head of the line. If any 
of the men strayed away while they were hunting, 
the bugle was to let them know where the main 
line was. ” 

“That’s all very pretty,” said Rat. “I have 
heard a good many stories about Kit Carson, but 
I’m wonderin’ if he has any nerve.” 

“I know he has,” said Reuben quickly. “On 
that first trip one of the men in the party had an 
accident. He shot himself in the arm. Pretty 
soon the others decided that the only way for the 
poor chap to save his life was to have his arm cut 
off. I don’t know whether or not Kit Carson did 
the job, but I know that he helped. They used a 
razor, a saw, and a redhot wagon-bolt. ” 

“Did the man get over it?” demanded Rat 
boisterously. 

“Yes. And he kept on with the others. He 
forded the rivers and climbed the mountains and 
followed along an Indian trail, over the track that 
the buffaloes had made, and never once dropped 
behind. When the party finally got to Santa Fe 
Kit Carson decided that he would not go back to 
[ 50 ] 


THE FAME OF THE TRAPPER 

Missouri, so he pushed on alone to Taos. That 
was eighty miles from Santa Fe. You know that 
is a trading station for trappers 
“So I have heard,” assented Rat. 

“Well, there wasn’t much in that place for Kit. 
He said the little, narrow streets had mud huts 
along their sides and that water was pretty scarce, 
but he always liked Taos, because it was there 
that he met Kincade.” 

“Who’s he?^^ 

“Didn’t you ever hear of Kincade.^^ Why, he 
was one of the biggest trappers that ever got a 
skin in the Rocky Mountains. He knew all about 
the wild beasts and the places where the beaver 
dams were, and he knew where the Indians that 
troubled the trappers were likely to be found. ” 
“He knew a lot, didn’t he?” laughed Rat. 

“Yes, he did. Kit Carson says he did. But 
what he liked best of all was that he knew Spanish, 
and he taught Kit how to speak it. He stayed 
there until spring, and then he decided that he 
would go back home and start out trapping on his 
own account. So he joined a party of trappers 
that were going East and started to go home, but 
he hadn’t gone halfway across the prairies before 
he met some more trappers that were on their way 
to Santa Fe, and what they said to him made him 
change his plans. ” 


[ 51 ] 


CHAPTER VI 


ALONE 

W HAT did he do then?” inquired Rat, 
who, for some reason which Reuben 
did not understand, appeared to be in- 
tensely interested in the life of the scout who had 
already become famous throughout the West. 

“Why, they offered him a chance to go back 
with them, and be their hunter, so he joined the new 
party. He told me, though, that he didn’t find 
any fun in his work. A good deal of the time he 
was driving a team, and that was the last thing in 
the world he wanted to do. ” 

“I suppose he wanted to shoot buffaloes and 
hunt Indians?” 

“That’s exactly what he wanted to do. He 
didn’t give up his plan, though all that winter he 
was a cook for a man named Young, who had made 
a lot of money trapping. Kit said that was the 
worst winter he ever had. Sometimes he used to 
chase the rats out of the corn-bin and then he 
would say to himself, ‘Here are poor Kit Carson’s 
[ 52 ] 


ALONE 


buffaloes/ When the winter was gone he still did 
not find any party of trappers that was willing that 
he should join them. You see he was such a slight, 
little fellow, and, as I told you, his voice was so 
soft and his manner was so gentle, that the men 
all thought he would not be able to stand the 
work and they would have a sick man on their 
hands. 

‘‘In the spring he made up his mind to go back 
home again. But that time, too, he met a party 
that was on its way to Santa Fe. They offered 
him a job which he took and went back with them. 
Finally he did find something worth doing. He 
went down into Mexico as an interpreter for a lot 
of men that were going to Chihuahua. When he 
got there he hired out again as a teamster for a man 
who was going to the copper mines. But he didn’t 
really get his chance to begin his scouting and 
trapping until he came back to Taos. He had 
become so used to seeing parties of trappers start 
off without him that when at last this Mr. Young, 
the man for whom he had been working, told him 
that he could join a party he was sending out, he 
took up with the offer right away. The man that 
hired him knew that he wasn’t afraid of anything 
on earth. ” 

“Ho!” snorted Rat, breaking in upon the narra- 
tive. “I guess he wouldn’t have felt that way if 
[ 53 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

he had seen me. What do you suppose a little 
fellow like Kit Carson would do if a man like me 
got after him?” 

‘‘I’d feel sorry for you, if you tried to go ‘after 
him.’” 

“That’s a good un! That’s a good un!” roared 
Rat. “Do you think he could run away from 
me?” 

“I don’t think he would try.” 

“Well, if he didn’t run and I once got my hands 
on him I would break his back as easily as I would 
a stick. ” 

Reuben smiled and did not reply to the boastings 
of the braggart. 

“How many men were in this party you are 
telling about?” demanded Rat. 

“About forty.” 

“How old was Kit then?” 

“About twenty.” 

“Ho, ho!” roared Rat again. “And yet you 
say he wasn’t afraid of anything on earth? How 
do you know he wasn’t? Because he told you so? ” 

Still Reuben refused to make any explanations 
to his companion. He was aware that Rat was 
deeply interested, although the cause of his interest 
was not yet apparent. 

“Probably your wonderful Kit,” suggested Rat, 
“caught more beaver, shot and scalped more red- 
154 ] 


ALONE 


skins, killed more deer and buffalo than any other 
man in the band. ’’ 

‘‘I don’t know about that. He never told me. 
He wasn’t the one that told about these other things, 
either. He did say that scouts were always sent 
ahead of the men to find out whether any Indians 
were near. Every night they had guards for the 
camp. ” 

“They didn’t find any Indians, did they.^” 

“Not until they came to Salt River. There 
they found they were likely to be attacked by the 
same redskins that had killed the last party of 
trappers that had been there. ” 

“This time I suppose Kit single-handed killed 
every one o’ them.?” 

“I don’t know; I suppose he did his part. This 
Mr. Young played a trick on the Indians. ” 

“What did he do.?” 

“Why, he sent a few men ahead and hid the rest 
of them among the bushes and trees, and then when 
the Indians saw the little party they did not know 
there were any others, so they chased them clear 
back into the woods. When they came close to 
the place where the men were hiding the trappers all 
fired their rifles. ” 

“And killed all the redskins.?” laughed Rat. 

“Kit Carson said they killed fifteen. Then the 
Indians ran and never once attacked them again. 

155] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

They did steal their ponies and traps, but they 
didn’t make any more attacks on them. By the 
time the men had reached the headwaters of the 
San Francisco River they had so many beaver 
skins that Mr. Young sent some of the men back to 
Taos. He kept some of the best ones, though, to 
go on with him into California. ” 

“I suppose he kept Kit Carson, of course.^” 

“Yes, sir, he did. It was a terrible time they 
had, too. There weren’t many trails and they 
couldn’t find much grass for the horses, or water 
for any one, or even wood enough to make a fire. 
Out there on the desert there weren’t any buffaloes 
or deer, but there were enemies that were a good 
deal more dangerous than either of them.” 

“What were they.^” 

“Hunger and thirst. The men had a little deer 
meat and some water bags they had made of deer- 
skin, and Kit said they were mighty careful every 
day when they measured out the water and divided 
up the meat. When they had been out four days, 
all at once the donkeys stretched out their necks 
and began to run. Everybody knew what that 
meant. ” 

“What did it mean?” 

“Why, they had sniffed water somewhere. 
Pretty soon they came to a stream. Kit said he 
never had anything in his life taste as good as that 
[ 56 ] 


ALONE 


water. It didn’t seem as if they could get enough. 
The men rested up a while and then started on 
again across the desert. On the fourth day they 
came to Colorado. There they stopped to rest and 
to cook an old horse which they had bought of the 
Indians. ” 

‘‘Pretty fine feast,” laughed Rat. “Cold water 
and horse meat! Which did they take first — the 
water or the horse meat.^ ” 

“ I don’t know. What difference does it make? ” 
“Why, I know a man back East who lives on 
dried apples. He has dried apples for breakfast, 
cold water for dinner, and swells up for supper. 
Perhaps the horse meat served in the same way.” 

“By and by they came to a mission down in the 
San Gabriel Valley. The priests had taught the 
Indians there how to make farms. There was 
everything one wanted to eat. ” 

“What did they do? Help themselves?” 

“No, they didn’t. They paid for what they 
took.” 

“That’s a good un,” laughed Rat. 

“They did, for Kit Carson told me so. He said 
he paid four butcher’s knives for a steer. ” 

“He might just as well bought the steer without 
handing over the butcher’s knives. ” 

“Anyway, the trappers had a good time there. 
They found lots of beaver and the men had enough 
[ 57 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 


to eat and drink. When the warm weather came 
they went into camp down on the lower Sacra- 
mento. They had enough to do, hunting deer and 
antelope. Kit Carson then was the best shot in 
the whole band. All the men had somehow come 
to rely upon him. ” 

“Did he say so?’’ 

“No, sir, he didn’t. He never told me about 
it, but some other men who were with him told me, 
and they said he was the one man the Indians were 
afraid of. ” 

“That’s a good un, too,” laughed Rat. 

“Well, the men thought so,” retorted Reuben 
angrily. “One of the priests came over and told 
Mr. Young how some bad Indians had gone over to 
an Indian village and wouldn’t come out. The 
priests wanted some of Mr. Young’s men to get the 
runaways. Of course the men said they would, 
and they said right away that Kit would have to 
be their leader. So Kit took the men over to the 
village and told the Indians they must give up the 
men for whom they had come, but the big chief 
said they wouldn’t do any such thing. ” 

“So they had a fight, did they?” 

“Yes, they did.” 

“And all the redskins were killed?” 

“No, not all of them, but they lost so many that 
they gave up the bad Indians. One night not 
[ 58 ] 


ALONE 


long afterward a lot of Indians came into the camp 
of the trappers and made off with sixty horses. 
Kit said most of the men were angrier to have their 
horses stolen than they were to have some of the 
men shot. They were mad through and through, 
and pretty soon twelve of them, with Kit Carson at 
their head, started after the thieves. They had a 
long ride across the mountains and through the 
valleys, and for a long time they couldn’t find any 
signs of the men they were after. They went more 
than one hundred miles before they caught up with 
them. ” 

“Then Kit Carson shot every one of them, I 
suppose?” 

“No, he didn’t. He found the Indians in camp, 
cooking and eating horse meat. Without stopping 
a minute, Kit called to his men, and they started 
straight for the camp. They shot eight the first 
time, and all the rest made for the woods.” 

“But they didn’t get away because Kit Carson 
chased them into the forest and got them all?” 

“No, he didn’t; he told the men to get all the 
horses that had been stolen, and then they started 
straight back for camp. They were lucky to find 
some one who bought all their beaver skins. When 
the summer was over they all started back home, 
but they kept trapping all the way along. They 
made a lot of money, and every one got a share. 

[ 59 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

He said he didn’t know what to do with the 
money. ” 

“Probably he found somebody to tell him.^” 
laughed Rat. 

“Yes, he did. He said he got into all sorts of 
bad ways that winter. I don’t suppose he was 
doing anything different from the rest of them, but 
Kit Carson isn’t the kind of a man that could ever 
find much fun in drinking and gambling. That 
was about all the other men seemed to care for.” 

“He must be a wonderful man. I think I must 
try to see him some time. He wouldn’t scare me, 
would he.^” 

“No,” replied Reuben seriously. “I told you 
he is as gentle as a girl. ” 

“I am glad,” laughed Rat. As he spoke he 
extended his huge arm, and as he clinched his hand 
Reuben was almost convinced that even Kit Car- 
son would be powerless in its grasp. 

“There’s our camp,” suggested Rat, as he 
pointed to the defile in the distance. “There I 
have got to leave you, if you won’t go on with 
me.” 

“No, I have got to find Jean.” 

Not long after their arrival, Erastus True, as 
soon as he had packed his belongings on the backs 
of his ponies, bade farewell to Reuben and started 
on his lonely journey northward. 

[ 60 ] 


ALONE 


Reuben had his rifle, his bags of powder and 
shot, and a saddle and bridle. His pony was dead, 
but he was hopeful that soon he would find the 
missing Jean, and then all his troubles would be 
ended. 


[ 61 ] 


CHAPTER VII 


MOUNTAIN TROUT 

I T WAS not until he was left alone that the full 
sense of his difficulties came upon Reuben 
Benton. He watched his recent companion as 
leading his little train he slowly passed to the 
north and soon was hidden from sight among the 
foothills. He might have gone with him, although 
the man had not been cordial in his suggestion, but 
the chief barrier was that Reuben had taken an 
intense dislike to the boastful man. Not the least 
of the grounds for his prejudice was the ridicule 
which the giant had heaped upon Reuben’s hero, 
Kit Carson. For a moment, however, Reuben 
almost wished that he, too, had gone with the man, 
much as he disliked him. At least he would be 
certain to go somewhere, and now he did not even 
know what fate had overtaken Jean Badeau. As 
yet no suspicion had occurred to him that any 
serious misfortune had befallen the trapper. In- 
deed, Reuben was inclined to be angry with the 
man for having departed without awaiting his 
return. 


[ 62 ] 


MOUNTAIN TROUT 

He thought, too, of Kit Carson, and the band 
which he had led into the defiles of the Rocky 
Mountains on their trapping expedition. He had 
been eager to join that party, but the same oppo- 
sition greeted him which years before had been 
faced by Kit Carson himself. The men were 
afraid that he was not sufiiciently strong to endure 
the hardships of the long journey and the trying 
winter that was certain to come. For that reason 
Reuben had accepted the invitation of Jean to go 
with him. 

Jean did not wish to trap with a band, as we 
know. And yet he did not plan to be entirely 
alone. His own thought had been that if Reuben 
should accompany him, at least he would provide 
company, and if evil befell him he would not be 
bereft of all help. 

And Reuben had listened to the appeals of Jean, 
not only because of his eagerness to become a trap- 
per, but also because he was compelled to choose 
between being bound out to some of the Missouri 
pioneers or else to learn the harness trade, as Kit 
Carson had learned it before him. 

Reuben’s father, a ne’er-do-well, had urged 
Reuben to accompany his older brother William 
when he had migrated from Virginia to find a new 
home in the rich lands of western Missouri. Reu- 
ben had been treated with a degree of kindness by 
[ 63 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

his older brother, but his brother’s wife objected 
to his remaining longer a member of the household. 
She now had six children of her own to care for, 
and the addition of another dependent had become 
somewhat irksome. She was a worn, nervous, 
scolding, irritable woman, and Reuben, after a 
long talk with his brother, had decided that it was 
wiser as well as better for him to find a home some- 
where else. 

It was soon after this decision had been made 
that the homeless lad had met Jean, who had re- 
turned from his annual trip to the fur country. 
And Jean had not found it difiicult to persuade 
Reuben to accompany him. There were visions 
held out before him of the great wealth that was to 
be obtained by trapping, and the adventures which 
Jean graphically described with many gestures 
also had their own appeal for Reuben. He was 
now a well-grown boy of sixteen, strong, skilled 
in the use of the rifle, and he confidently believed 
that he was equal to any of the hardships which an 
ordinary party of trappers might be compelled to 
undergo. 

Not much time was required in preparations for 
the journey. Reuben’s rifle, a few traps, most of 
which were unreliable, and a few other belongings 
were collected. A pony was provided by Jean, 
and when he set forth from Pain Court, aside from 
[ 64 ] 


MOUNTAIN TROUT 

his brother William, there was slight regret in his 
heart for any one he was leaving behind him. 

The long journey had been made with but few 
mishaps. They were now within sight of the land 
of promise, but on the very border he had lost 
his companion. And yet, as has been said, Reuben 
was by no means convinced that Jean was lost. 
He was inclined to believe that Jean had left him, 
either expecting to return or that the boy would 
soon find him. Perhaps he had seen the Indians 
whom Reuben had met and was fearful of their evil 
intentions. They might be only the scouts of a 
large band not far away. 

The thought for a moment made even Reuben 
uneasy and he glanced apprehensively about him. 
The noisy little mountain brook not far away made 
the only sound he could hear. Above him in the 
sunlight towered the summits of the lofty moun- 
tains. Trees and grass were about him, and no 
scene upon which he had ever looked had been 
more peaceful in its outward appearance. 

It was now late in the afternoon. Reuben was 
aware that he was not only tired, but also hungry. 
It was necessary for him to obtain something to 
eat, although he was uncertain where food was 
to be found. That, like certain other disagree- 
able facts, however, must be faced. 

Near the little brook he suddenly saw a deer 
[ 65 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

approaching from the upper part of the gorge. A 
moment later he was aware that it was a doe lead- 
ing her fawn to the brook for a drink. Reuben, 
who had been seated motionless, had not been 
discovered by the timid creatures, and as the wind 
was blowing toward the valley below him the keen- 
scented animals had not noticed his presence. 

Here was his supper sent directly to him ! 

The sight of the graceful little fawn, however, 
caused Reuben to hesitate. He hated to shoot the 
pretty little creature. He watched the fawn as it 
glanced up into its mother’s face with an expres- 
sion that was as filled with affection as that which 
he had seen sometimes in the face of a child. Al- 
ready he had raised his rifle to his shoulder, but 
for some reason he did not shoot. The sudden 
loosening of a stone by his foot produced a sound 
which made the two animals look quickly in his 
direction, and instantly he was aware that he had 
been discovered. For a moment the doe anxiously 
gazed at the intruder, and then like a flash she was 
gone, followed by the fawn. The supper which 
had come to him almost miraculously was lost, 
and for a moment Reuben was inclined to blame 
himself for yielding to his feeling of sympathy for 
the fawn. 

And yet what was he to do for his supper Care- 
lessly he advanced to the border of the brook and 
[ 66 ] 


MOUNTAIN TROUT 

looked with interest at the hoof-prints of the doe 
and the fawn. He was aware that there were 
occasional pools in the little stream, and as he 
glanced into one he had a momentary vision of a 
fish darting under the shadow of the overhanging 
bank. Reuben had never heard of mountain trout, 
but the sight of the fish instantly suggested a plan 
by which he might be able to obtain his supper. 

A few yards below the place where he was stand- 
ing the stream narrowed until it was not more than 
two feet wide. Quickly he rolled some of the loose 
stones to the place so that when they fell into the 
water they served as a barrier in the stream. When 
a half-dozen stones had been placed in the narrow 
neck of water Reuben cut a good sized club, and, 
going up the stream a short distance, stepped 
into the water. As he advanced he shouted and 
struck the water and was positive that several 
times he saw fish dart swiftly down the stream 
before him. Proceeding cautiously and using his 
club all the time, he soon drew near the dam he 
had made. As he did so he began to leap up and 
down in the water and shout and strike the bank 
as well as the stream with his club. 

The hungry boy was delighted when a few mo- 
ments later a fish, finding its progress barred in 
either direction, leaped out of the water. Reuben 
succeeded in striking it with the club he was carry- 
[ 67 ] 


SCOUTING WITH EIT CARSON 

ing, and watched it as it fell on the ground several 
feet away from the stream. If there was one 
fish in the water, he concluded there must be 
others, and quickly he repeated his tactics. After 
two failures he succeeded in obtaining another 
fish, and finally threw the third up on the bank. 
The last was larger than the other two combined. 

Again the problem of his supper had been solved. 
He soon secured the three fish he had taken and, 
returning to the spot where he had left his belong- 
ings, he at once made them ready for cooking. 
Afterward he collected a mass of branches which 
had fallen from the nearby trees and was preparing 
to kindle a fire. 

In the midst of his occupation he abruptly 
stopped. Should he light a fire.^ It is true it 
might not only provide a means of cooking the 
fish, but also indicate to Jean, who could not be 
far away, the presence of his camp. On the other 
hand, the Indians he recently had seen had told 
him that many more redmen were among the 
mountains. They, too, might see the fire and 
might steal upon him unaware. 

The feeling of hunger, however, was so strong 
that Reuben soon decided in favour of a fire. Dis- 
regarding the danger, by means of his flint and 
tinder he soon started a roaring blaze. He had 
made a rude little fireplace by piling some of the 
[ 68 ] 


MOUNTAIN TROUT 

stones in such a manner that the top was covered. 
On this top he placed a large, flat stone, and upon 
this he laid two of the trout. 

It was not long before Reuben had a supper 
not only ‘‘fit for a king,” but such a supper as a 
king is seldom permitted to enjoy. It is true all 
the salt which he and Jean had brought had been 
in the saddlebags of the trapper, but the mountain 
trout were delicious even without salt. 

By the time Reuben’s supper was eaten he was 
aware that the brief sunset was nearly ended. 
Much of his anxiety had now departed and he was 
quite content, as he said to himself, to let Jean do 
the searching. He seated himself upon the ground, 
leaning back against the trunk of a huge tree, and 
as he listened to the music of the noisy little brook 
and watched the scurrying clouds pass across the 
evening sky he was even more decided that Jean 
might find him if he should search diligently. 

Not long after the coming of the night, however, 
this feeling of confidence gave place to one of 
loneliness. Indeed, the consciousness that he was 
alone soon became oppressive. He recalled the 
sight of the pack of gaunt and hungry wolves that 
had run down the buffalo calf. Perhaps they 
would be glad to feast upon a young trapper for 
supper, just as he himself had feasted upon the 
trout he had taken from the mountain stream. 

[ 69 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

Aroused by the suggestion, Reuben started to his 
feet and made a tour of his camp. Although he 
walked one hundred yards in every direction, he 
was unable to discover any signs of danger. When 
he returned to his camp the fire had burned low, 
but it was plain that everything was as he had 
left it. His troubles might wait until morning, 
he finally decided, and not long afterward, stretch- 
ing himself upon his blanket, he was sleeping 
soundly. 

It was daylight when he awoke, and as soon as 
consciousness returned Reuben was aware that 
he had been awakened by sounds that even now 
he could still hear in the distance. 


[ 70 ] 


CHAPTER VIII 


AN UNEXPECTED MEETING 

AT FIRST Reuben was unable to decide 
whether the noises that came into the 
-A IL narrow valley were the bowlings of wolves 
or the yelpings of dogs. Startled by the unex- 
pected sound, he hastily seized his rifle and, taking 
his stand behind one of the huge boulders, awaited 
developments. 

In a brief time he saw, plunging up the narrow 
defile, a wounded buffalo cow. Only one glance 
was required to show the young trapper that the 
animal had been hurt, for she was limping badly, 
though her flight was not slow in spite of her trouble. 

In a brief time it was manifest that the sounds 
that came from beyond were the yelpings of several 
dogs that were in pursuit of the fleeing buffalo. 
How dogs could be there, far from the habitation 
or the camps of man, was a problem Reuben was 
unable to solve. The sight, however, of the flee- 
ing animal recalled to him the possibility of secur- 
ing breakfast. As the buffalo came near, he raised 
his rifle and fired at her. 

[ 71 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

The buffalo was under such momentum that, 
although the shot had been true, she plunged 
forward several yards before she fell to the ground. 
Running hastily to the spot, Reuben quickly saw 
that his aim had been fatal and the animal was 
lifeless. He hastily reloaded his gun and prepared 
to face the dogs. He was aware that his shot 
might reveal his presence to enemies if they were 
near. It was well known that the Blackfoot 
Indians and several other tribes were intensely 
hostile to the whites. They were determined that 
the white man should not enter the grounds which 
they believed belonged to themselves, inasmuch 
as they had received them from their forefathers. 
Not only had several parties of trappers been at- 
tacked, as Reuben knew from the stories of Kit 
Carson and Jean, but also some of the white men 
had been killed and many more had been driven 
away from the streams where they had set their 
traps and had been compelled to withdraw from 
the region. 

Thoughts of his own danger now returned with 
increased force. He did not believe the dogs be- 
longed to any Indian tribe, but if they were owned 
by trappers, how had it come to pass that white 
men were now in this region.^ He had understood 
from Jean that Kit Carson’s party had gone far to 
the north and that in all probability no men of their 
[ 72 ] 


AN UNEXPECTED MEETING 

own colour were likely to be seen until they returned 
to Pain Court. 

Reuben’s meditations were interrupted by the 
coming of the dogs. He saw four of the savage 
animals approaching, and the sight convinced him 
that he would as willingly face the gaunt and sav- 
age timber-wolves as the animals he now saw before 
him. It might be necessary for him to defend 
himself against their attack. 

By this time the dogs had discovered the young 
trapper. Instantly stopping in their tracks, about 
one hundred feet distant, they were all silent for a 
moment as they stared at the unexpected sight. 
A moment later, however, all four, throwing back 
their heads, emitted the most plaintive and pro- 
longed howls to which Reuben had ever listened. 
They did not, however, make any advance upon 
him. 

This fact caused Reuben to decide that he would 
attempt to drive the animals away. Doubtless the 
men who owned them were not far distant and if 
they had heard the shot they soon would appear. 
Seizing two stones and still holding his gun, Reuben 
ran toward the brutes and shouted in his loudest 
tones, Get out ! Get out ! ” At the same time he 
hurled one of the missiles and was delighted when he 
saw all four of the dogs turn about and run swiftly 
down the defile. 


[ 73 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


Reuben waited half an hour for the return of the 
dogs or the appearance of the party to which they 
belonged. The minutes passed, however, and he 
was still alone. At last, persuaded that his hiding- 
place was unsuspected, he hastened to the spot 
where the body of the dead buffalo was lying and 
cut from the carcass the pieces which he already 
had learned were the most eatable. In a brief 
time he had his fire kindled and was busily engaged 
in the preparation of his morning meal. 

Frequently he glanced toward the entrance to 
the valley below him, still aware of the possibilities 
that his hiding-place might not escape the atten- 
tion of others who might be in the vicinity. If 
they were white men he believed that his safety 
would be assured. His great danger lay in the fact 
that the dogs which he had seen might belong to 
some roving band of Pawnee or Blackfoot Indians. 

Time passed, however, without interruption, 
and when his hunger had been appeased, Reuben 
took his rifie and cautiously began his descent of 
the valley. When he came out into the more open 
country he was startled at the sight of a campfire not 
far away. Gathered about it were half a dozen 
men, and to them doubtless belonged the dogs 
which he had seen. Indeed, while he was looking 
at the camp he saw these same dogs moving about 
near the spot. 


[ 74 ] 


AN UNEXPECTED MEETING 

Assured that he would find help there, Reuben 
started toward the place where the fire was burning. 
He had left his saddle and bridle and a few other 
belongings in the defile among the mountains, but 
he was convinced that if he could secure aid from 
these men it would be an easy matter to obtain his 
possessions which for a little while he had aban- 
doned. As he came near the camp the dogs dis- 
covered his presence and, with loud barking, 
started toward him. 

At the sound the men about the campfire in- 
stantly leaped to their feet and seized their rifles, 
and all were looking in the direction from which 
the young trapper was approaching. Apparently 
convinced by what they saw that they were in no 
danger of an immediate attack by enemies, they 
waited for Reuben to approach the camp. 

Greatly to the astonishment of the lad when he 
had come near enough to distinguish the faces of 
the men, he saw that the leader of the little party 
was none other than Kit Carson himself. How it 
was that the trapper and guide was so far south of 
the region into which he with his company orig- 
inally had gone Reuben did not understand. There 
was no question, however, as to the person before 
him, and he was greatly pleased when a moment 
later the guide said to him: “You are Reuben 
Benton. The last time I saw you was in Pain 
[751 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

Court. What are you doing out here on the 
plains?” 

By this time Reuben had been admitted within 
the circle. The glances of suspicion which were 
given him when first he had appeared were gone as 
soon as the leader explained that he personally 
knew the young trapper. 

“I came out here with Jean,” explained Reuben. 

‘‘Jean? Jean who?” inquired Kit Carson. 

“Jean Badeau.” 

“Where is he?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Just what I say. I don’t know where he is. 
I wish I did. We came out here day before yes- 
terday. We made a camp, and while we were there 
a herd of buffaloes came along and Jean and I 
started after them. I haven’t seen him since.” 

“He may have been trampled by the herd,” 
suggested Kit Carson. 

“I don’t think so,” asserted Reuben. “There 
was a man here who helped me look for the place 
where we had camped and after a while we found 
it, but the ponies and saddles and traps and every- 
thing were gone. ” 

“A man with you?” inquired the guide, glancing 
keenly at Reuben as he spoke. 

“Yes.” 


[ 76 ] 


AN UNEXPECTED MEETING 

"‘Who was he?” 

“Rat True.” 

For a moment Kit Carson was silent as he looked 
steadily at Reuben. “What has become of him? 
Where is he?” he inquired at last. 

“He left last night and took his ponies and his 
traps and said he was going up among the hills. 
He said he wanted to trap alone. That’s what 
Jean said, too, and that was the reason why we 
camped down here. ” 

“He cannot be very far away, then?” 

“I don’t know how far. He took his ponies 
with him, and the little beasts were tough, and 
they may have been able to make good time. ” 

“And you haven’t any idea what has become of 
Jean?” 

“No. I don’t know where he is. I must look 
him up to-day. He may have been captured by the 
Indians and they may have carried off his ponies 
and his belongings. ” 

“So they might,” said Kit Carson in a low voice. 
“Very likely that’s just what they did. We’ll 
have to give you a lift, however, and help you try 
to find him. Have you had any breakfast?” 

“Yes. Your dogs chased a wounded buffalo 
into the gorge where I was and I shot it. ” 

“Yes,” explained Kit Carson. “We saw a big 
herd this morning and cut out two or three cows, 
[ 77 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

but two of them gave us the slip and the third we 
wounded, but it got away, though the dogs took 
after it. ” 

“It is only a little way back yonder; you’ll find 
the carcass there now.” 

“I don’t think we shall go back for the carcass,” 
said the guide quietly. “ There are too many herds 
around here for us to bother about a little thing 
like that. How are the streams.^” 

“I don’t know,” answered Reuben. “The only 
ones I have seen were in that valley where I was, 
and there they were not very full. ” 

“Did you see any beaver?” 

“Yes. Jean and I found several dams.” 

“Have you seen any Indians?” 

“Yes, the night I lost Jean I met three Chey- 
ennes, two braves and a boy. They had been out 
trying to steal horses from the Pawnees. They 
said the Pawnees were cowards because they kept 
their horses shut up every night. ” 

A smile appeared on the face of the guide as he 
said: “The redskins are like the rest of us. When 
we don’t get what we want we’re down on our luck, 
or blame the other fellow. How old a boy was the 
young Indian?” 

“About fifteen or sixteen.” 

Turning to his men Kit Carson related the story 
which Reuben had told him, and in response to his 
[ 78 ] 


AN UNEXPECTED MEETING 

suggestion the men all declared that they were 
more than willing to join in a search for the missing 
Jean. 

Soon afterward, Reuben conducted the men to 
the place where Jean’s camp had been made, but a 
careful investigation failed to reveal any signs of 
the fate which had overtaken the trapper. 

The men then separated into three parties and, 
moving in different directions, tried to ride in cir- 
cles about the camping-place in their efforts to 
discover some indications of what might have be- 
fallen the missing Jean. Their search was con- 
tinued throughout the day, but when night fell it 
was still unrewarded. Not a sign had been dis- 
covered as to what had been the fate of the trapper. 

Upon the suggestion of Kit Carson, Reuben then 
led the way to the defile where he had passed the 
preceding night. Abundance of food had been 
secured, because late in the afternoon a herd of 
buffaloes, numbering no less than five hundred, had 
appeared. Several of the animals had been shot 
by the hunters, who brought the meat which they 
had secured to the place that had been selected for 
the camp. 

Although Kit Carson did not refer to his fears, 
it was evident that he was somewhat uneasy, as 
several times signs of Indians had been discovered 
by the men in their search of the afternoon. Al- 
;[ 79 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


though he still did not refer to his fears, when 
arrangements for the night were made he insisted 
upon a guard being established. 

Before darkness had fallen upon the region the 
trappers became aware that their hiding-place 
had been discovered. 


[ 80 ] 


CHAPTER IX 
wolf’s clothing 

E xcitement first arose when the dogs, 
growling, and the hair on their backs 
standing erect, began to circle the camp and 
peer angrily into the darkness. The action of the 
animals caused the men at once to look more care- 
fully to the horses. Every one of the beasts had been 
hobbled, and were all within the circle of the camp. 
Although few words were spoken, it was plain every 
man was suspicious that enemies were not far away. 

Soon in the deepening twilight several long, 
gaunt, shadowy forms were seen creeping about the 
place. They were the timber-wolves, the most 
savage of all the wolf tribe. Reuben, congratulat- 
ing himself that he was no longer alone, thought 
what his own feelings would have been if, without 
the presence of the other trappers, he had heard 
these hungry and savage animals prowling about 
his camp. He was positive that he would not have 
given in without a struggle, but his confidence 
certainly was much stronger now that he was in 
the company of Kit Carson and his men. 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

The actions of the guide, however, were peculiar. 
Only two of the wolves had been seen, and the 
sounds which they emitted were unlike those which 
had been heard when they had been farther away. 
Occasionally one or the other seated itself upon its 
haunches and, throwing back its head, sent forth 
its mournful howls. At the same time it was mani- 
fest that, although they kept well out of sight, the 
wolves were stealthily creeping nearer the horses, 
which now had been assembled at one side of the 
camp. 

Kit Carson, too, was unusually watchful, al- 
though he had little to say to any of his friends. 
When some of the men suggested that it would be 
wise to shoot the treacherous animals, he had 
quietly and yet sharply objected. “There isn’t 
one of you,” he said, “but might hit a dog, mistak- 
ing it for a wolf. I would rather have a dozen 
timber-wolves yelling around here all night than to 
lose one dog.” 

The actions of the dogs also increased the un- 
easiness among the trappers. Now they either 
were afraid or had lost the first fierceness of their 
desire to drive away their foes. All four were 
whining and, although the hair about their necks 
was still erect, they displayed less inclination than 
before to attack the marauders. Crouching and 
growling, they slunk back toward their masters. 

[ 82 ] 


WOLF’S CLOTHING 

For several minutes Kit Carson remained seated 
near the border of the camp, holding his rifle in 
his hand and listening intently to the sounds made 
by the two wolves. These animals had acted 
peculiarly from the first. Both now were near the 
horses, and the terror of the frightened animals 
was almost pathetic. 

Beckoning to his friends to remain where they 
were. Kit Carson suddenly raised his rifle to his 
shoulder and shot one of the wolves. 

A strange, well-nigh unearthly sound followed 
the report of his rifle. A scream, loud and pro- 
longed, in no way resembling the howl of a wolf, 
broke the silence. For a moment the men in the 
camp stared blankly at one another, while Reuben 
was appalled by the weird and unnatural cry. 

The guide, however, apparently was unmoved 
by the alarm of his friends. Laughing lightly, he 
ran quickly to the place where the wounded wolf 
was lying. The other beast had instantly turned 
and fled into the darkness. 

The approach of the guide produced an imme- 
diate effect upon the wounded animal. Struggling 
desperately, it rose upon its hind feet and for a 
brief time struggled to escape. The effort, how- 
ever, was unavailing, and it soon fell to the ground 
again and became motionless and silent. 

Every one in the camp now was watching the 
[ 83 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

leader with intense interest, Reuben being the 
most excited of all. Indeed, the lad had followed 
Kit Carson and was only a few yards behind him 
when the guide stopped to watch the struggles of 
the animal before him. When at last the wolf 
became motionless. Kit Carson advanced upon it 
and at once lifted it to an upright position. 

The strange events which had occurred were 
followed by those that were stranger still. Seizing 
the wolf by its fore-shoulders, the guide alternately 
with his foot and knee kicked the animal, compel- 
ling it to walk in advance of him on its hind feet. 

‘‘Look out there. Kit!” called some one in the 
camp. “If you let that fellow bite you it will be 
sure poison!” 

No response was made by the guide, who had 
been intently watching the wolf, which when 
standing up on its hind feet was as tall as he. 
Strange to say, the animal made no attempt to bite 
its captor. As soon as it was discovered that all 
efforts to free itself were useless, the wolf was forced 
to approach the campfire, where the men curiously 
were watching the antics of the strange animal. 
Never before had Reuben seen a sight like the one 
he was now beholding. Why the wolf did not 
fight he was unable to understand. The very 
fact that it had been wounded was sufficient to 
arouse its anger, but, as far as he could see, it was 
[ 84 ] 


WOLF’S CLOTHING 


advancing as meekly as if it had been a lamb in- 
stead of a wild animal in the hands of Kit Carson. 

When the guide had brought his victim nearer 
to the fire in the camp, he suddenly forced back 
the head of his prisoner, and then with one quick 
motion tore back the skin, revealing the head and 
face of an Indian. The sight, startling as it was, 
caused most of the men to laugh. Reuben recalled 
now the stories which Jean had told him of how 
some of the Indians, disguising themselves as wild 
animals, in the darkness of the night had crept 
near the camp of the trappers to steal their furs or 
run away with the ponies that belonged to the 
outfit. The bowlings he had heard then had been 
made by the Indians, and yet as Reuben looked 
at the prisoner it was difiicult for him to believe 
that the human voice could so closely imitate the 
cries of a prowling wolf. 

Meanwhile Kit Carson, who not for a moment 
had relaxed his grip of his captive, suddenly tore 
away the skin in front, and as it fell to the ground 
the entire body of a young Indian was revealed to 
the excited assembly. 

‘‘Kill him!” shouted one of the men. The cry 
was taken up by others, and for a brief time the 
fate of the young Indian was in the balance. 

It was marvellous to Reuben at this time to see 
the young leader quietly step in front of his men and 
[ 85 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


say in a low voice, “We will have none of that. 
He is my prisoner, anyway.” The guide, slight 
and boyish in his figure, speaking in a tone so low 
that it did not betray any excitement under which 
he might be labouring, instantly checked the 
anger of his men. 

As they made no further effort to advance, he 
said: “This redskin is only a boy. I shot him in 
the leg. I suspected just what he was trying to do, 
and though he played the trick well, he lost. Come 
up here!” he said to his captive, as taking him by 
the arm he led him near the fire. 

A hasty examination of the wound disclosed the 
fact that it was slight, the ball having not more 
than grazed the calf of his leg. A bandage was 
soon made and applied, and after the feet and 
hands of the prisoner had been securely bound he 
was placed upon the ground between the fire and 
the trappers, who were soon asleep. 

Meanwhile a guard had been established by the 
leader and a careful watch was to be maintained 
throughout the night. If Indians were as near as 
the presence of the prisoner indicated, Reuben was 
at a loss to understand why the fire should have 
been kept up. However, as he had complete con- 
fidence in the leader, he asked no questions, and 
soon he, too, was sleeping as soundly as his com- 
panions. 


[ 86 ] 


WOLFS CLOTHING 

When morning dawned and Reuben arose, he 
found Kit Carson talking to the prisoner. “Come 
here!” called the leader when he saw that Reuben 
was awake. “Have you ever seen this young red- 
skin before?” 

Reuben looked keenly at the captive before he 
replied. “He looks like the young Indian that I 
saw two or three nights ago,” he said. “He was 
one of the three I told you about that had been 
trying to steal horses from the Pawnees. At least 
that’s what the Indian said who could speak Eng- 
lish.” 

“Doesn’t this one talk English?” 

“He didn’t that time, and the one who did speak 
it said he was the only one that understood it. ” 

The trapper turned again to the Indian boy and 
tried to engage him in conversation, but either the 
lad did not understand what was said or he did 
not want to, for he stolidly refused to reply. 

Once more the guide examined the young In- 
dian’s wound, and soon afterward turned to his 
followers, explaining that as soon as they had all 
had breakfast and the horses had been watered and 
permitted to gather such food as they could obtain 
in the little valley, the entire band would resume 
its journey. 

“But what shall I do?” said Reuben. “Shall I 
go away without trying to find Jean?” 

[ 87 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 


‘‘Jean can take care of himself if he is alive,” 
said Kit Carson quietly, “and if he is dead he will 
not need your help. I think the only thing for you 
to do is to come with us. ” 

“Where are you going.?” 

“That will depend somewhat on what comes to 
us. We shall go back to join the main camp pretty 
soon, but just now we are busy on some other work. 
You will be safe with us, and if you stay here you 
may not see another white face in a year. ” 

“But I don’t like to leave Jean,” persisted 
Reuben. 

“As far as I can see you are not the one that left 
him. He left you. Come, my lad, there’s nothing 
else to be done. ” 

“I have no pony.” 

“What became of it.?” inquired Kit Carson. 

“While I was chasing a buffalo I ran into a 
prairie-dog village and the horse stumbled and 
fell, and broke its leg. I had to shoot it.” 

“We can fix you up. We have several ponies 
that are not being ridden. You may have one of 
them to use.” 

Somehow, feeling as if the matter had been 
decided for him rather than that he had had any 
part in the decision, an hour later Reuben found 
himself astride a stocky little pony riding beside 
Kit Carson, who was leading the way. Conver- 
[ 88 ] 


WOLF’S CLOTHING 


sation ceased, for still the guide did not explain the 
purpose of their journey. 

A brief time later he selected two men to go in 
advance of the others. It was evident to Reuben 
that they were following what appeared to be an 
Indian trail. The captive Indian was still in their 
midst, although he was no longer bound. What 
had become of his companion no one in the party 
knew. He had vanished in the night as soon as his 
comrade had been hit by the bullet of Kit Carson. 

The journey was uneventful until the noon hour 
had passed, then when the guide began to look 
about for a suitable place where they might halt 
and prepare such food as they possessed for the 
mid-day meal, he said abruptly: “Do you see 
what that is ahead of us.^ ” 

“Where.^” inquired Reuben, who still was near- 
est the leader. 

“Right ahead on the right. Close to the trail. 
Look at it closely and tell me what you see.” 

Doing as he was bidden, Reuben soon discovered 
an object that instantly aroused within him a keen 
feeling of excitement. 

“ I see it ! ” he said, turning quickly to Kit Carson. 
“ I see it ! What are we going to do.^ ” 


[ 89 ] 


CHAPTER X 


ATTACKED 


OT far in advance the body of an Indian 



was seen lying directly across the trail. 


The entire band stopped abruptly at a sig- 


nal from Kit Carson, and a moment later all were 
running forward to the place where the Indian was 


seen. 


‘‘He may not be dead,” suggested one of the 
men. “He may be playing ’possum.” 

“That’s right, too,” suggested another. “They 
may be fixing a trap for us.” 

At the bidding of the leader the men all halted, 
every one holding his rifie in readiness for instant 
use, and all alike striving to keep watch on the 
various points from which they thought an attack 
upon them might be made. 

Alone and cautiously. Kit Carson advanced, 
and in a brief time he returned saying: “The man 
is dead. He had the smallpox. I don’t want any 
of you to go near him.” 

It was well known by the trappers what a ter- 
rible scourge smallpox was among the Indian tribes. 


[ 90 ] 


ATTACKED 


Entire villages had been wiped out of existence 
by its ravages. 

“What do you think, Kit.^” inquired one of the 
men. “Is this redskin left here for us, or do you 
think the village was trying to run away ” 

“Perhaps both,” replied the guide quietly. “At 
all events we’ll go around the hill.” 

“Better than that,” suggested one of the men. 
“I have had the smallpox and I’ll go ahead and 
drag the body out of the way.” 

At last the advice of the volunteer was accepted, 
and as soon as the dead body had been removed 
from the pathway the advance was resumed. 

Although he did not explain nor share his feel- 
ings with his companions, it soon became evident 
that Kit Carson was suspicious of the presence of 
other foes. Several times he had dropped behind 
the little cavalcade and as frequently had gone in 
advance of the body. It seemed more and more 
strange to Reuben that a man so boyish and slight 
as Kit Carson, in spite of his youth, should have 
such absolute control and such loyal support of 
the men who made up the little company. 

Late in the afternoon Carson, who had been 
serving for an hour as the advance guard, hastily 
rejoined his fellows and said: “There are twenty- 
five redskins ahead. They have stopped right 
near the trail.” 


[ 91 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

‘‘What are they?” inquired one of the men in a 
whisper. 

“Blackfeet.” 

“Are they armed? ” 

“Yes.” 

“ llow many horses have they? ” 

“ There are as many horses as there are men.” 

“Do you think they know we are coming?” 

“I have no doubt of it.” 

“What shall we do?” 

“Drive them out.” 

“It can’t be done! It can’t be done! We 
haven’t but seven men.” 

“Yes, it can be done,” said Kit quietly. “Now 
if you’ll do just what I say. I’ll show you how.” 

Seeing his calmness and confidence, a new spirit 
of enthusiasm entered the hearts of the men, and 
they all cordially and willingly followed the di- 
rections of the young scout. Three of them were 
selected to advance along the trail toward the 
Indians. The other four, together with their 
prisoner, were to be concealed in a cluster of 
bushes near which the halt had been made. Just 
what the young Indian in their midst would do if 
left to himself no one of the trappers knew, but 
as they were fearful that he might try to betray 
them it was deemed wiser to compel him to remain 
where he then was. 


[ 92 ] 


ATTACKED 


‘‘Now, men,” said Kit Carson, as he and one of 
the trappers, named Jake, and Reuben prepared 
to leave their companions, “see that you do not 
expose yourselves. Every one of you hide and 
keep hidden until we have joined you. You may 
think when you first see us that you ought to fire 
right away, but hold your powder until we come. 
Now, don’t forget that!” 

As soon as these instructions had been given, 
the scout, together with his two companions, 
started along the trail in the direction of the place 
where the Indians had been seen. 

Reuben was excited and yet he was so elated 
over the consent which had been given him to 
accompany Kit Carson on this perilous adventure 
that he was almost unmindful of the danger that 
confronted him. They had left their ponies be- 
hind them, and now as they drew near the place 
where they were expecting to behold the Blackfeet 
Reuben glanced excitedly at his two companions. 
Neither of them, however, betrayed any alarm, and 
in a brief time they had come within sight of the 
camp. 

“I want both of you to show yourselves directly 
behind me,” directed the scout, “and then I want 
you to jump back into the bushes on either side 
of the trail, run back a few feet, and then come out 
where you can be seen again. We must make 
[ 93 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

these redskins think there are at least a dozen of 
us. You’ll have to move fast, too, because we 
aren’t going to stay here very long.” 

A few moments later the men came within sight 
of the Indians. The discovery of their presence 
was greeted by a shout, but as yet none of the 
braves manifested any desire to start in pursuit of 
the white men. 

Acting promptly upon the suggestion of Kit 
Carson, Reuben and Jake darted into the bushes, 
emerging several times in a manner that might 
confuse their foes and lead them to believe that 
there were more in the party than at first appeared. 
Soon after the war-whoop of the Blackfeet had been 
heard Kit Carson and his companions started 
swiftly back over the trail by which they had come. 
Their flight was greeted with a loud yell, and in- 
stantly most of the Indians started in swift pur- 
suit. 

‘‘ It’s the same band that killed the last party of 
trappers,” said Kit Carson in a low voice to Reu- 
ben. “We’ll fix them this time so that they won’t 
make any more trouble of that kind.” 

Reuben was running rapidly, but all three knew 
that they were a considerable distance from the 
Indians and that their own friends were not far 
back on the trail; so he was not unduly alarmed. 
Somehow his complete confidence in the young guide 
[ 94 ] 


ATTACKED 


caused him to believe that even in their present peril 
he would find a way out. 

The yelling band of braves soon appeared. 
They were running swiftly and it was evident 
that they had cast aside their usual caution. 
The confidence of the attacking party was un- 
abated. If Kit Carson was correct in his state- 
ment that the band following them was one which 
had destroyed the company of trappers the pre- 
ceding year, it was plain now that they were 
equally sure the whites were afraid of them. 

At all events they were swiftly pursuing and 
were steadily gaining upon the three fugitives. 
The air resounded with blood-curdling war-whoops. 
The faces of the warriors, smeared with war-paint, 
were terrifying, and every time Reuben glanced 
behind him his fear increased, although he still 
was convinced that Kit Carson was not attempting 
any trick for which he was not fully prepared. 

Strong in their belief that the men who were fieeing 
were afraid, the Indians pressed still closer in their 
pursuit. Indeed they were almost upon the heels 
of the fleeing men. A few steps more and the 
venturesome trappers would be in their power. 

At last Reuben and his companions arrived at 
the thicket in which their friends were concealed. 
Darting quickly into the midst of the band, they 
cast themselves upon the ground, concealing them- 
[ 95 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

selves behind the trees, and prepared to join in the 
counter-attack which was about to be made. At 
that moment a shower of arrows fell among the 
bushes, and almost as if in response to this action 
the thicket resounded with the reports of the guns. 
The resounding yell of triumph from the eager 
Blackfeet was lost in the midst of the roar of the 
guns. Clouds of smoke slowly rose above the 
bushes and hid the scene from the sight of the 
anxious defenders. However, as soon as the 
smoke lifted a little, the bodies of the fallen Indians 
were seen upon the ground. On every side was 
the neighing of the terrified and the riderless horses. 
The startled Blackfeet in the midst of it all heard 
the click that indicated the reloading of the guns 
of their enemies. Too late they were aware of the 
mistake they had made. 

The band of warriors instantly broke and fied, 
and in the midst of the wild confusion that followed 
the first attack the weapons of the trappers had 
been reloaded and again the reports of the rifles 
rang out. With wild cries of terror the Indians 
continued their flight. Nor did they stop until they 
had disappeared from sight and had run far into the 
wilderness. 

Then it was that Kit Carson, bidding his men 
follow him, led them once more upon the trail. 
Scattered on the ground nearby were the bodies of 


ATTACKED 


ten of the Indians that had fallen under the fire of 
the trappers. Brave as the redmen had been, too 
late they had discovered that their bows and ar- 
rows were of no avail when they were fired upon 
by men armed with rifles and who were expert 
shots. 

Convinced at last that the danger was passed. 
Kit Carson summoned his men about him and first 
of all inquired whether or not any one had been 
hit in the shower of arrows that had fallen upon 
them. Fortunately no one had been injured, for 
the Indians had fired without any sight of the 
white men, simply trusting to their knowledge 
that some of them at least were concealed within 
the underbrush. 

‘‘What will happen next.^” inquired Jake. 

“No man can say,” replied Kit Carson. 

“Do you think they will attack us again.^^” 

“Not soon. They have learned a lesson which 
they will not forget right away.” 

“Then we can go right ahead.^” 

“We shall keep on,” replied the guide quietly, 
“although I am sure that we are not done with 
our troubles.” 

“What are you afraid of.^” 

“I am sure they will not leave us. They will 
follow us, and when night comes they will try to 
steal our horses, and if we were trapping here they 
[ 97 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

would try to get our traps. I shall be surprised 
if we do not find that they are watching us all the 
while.” 

‘‘Don’t you think we had better turn back.^” 

“I have never travelled that way,” replied Kit 
^Carson lightly. “The safest thing for us will be 
to show the Blackfeet that we are not afraid of 
them and are prepared to meet them.” 

In accordance with the suggestion of the scout, 
preparations were made at once for resuming the 
journey. It was plain, however, that not all of 
the men were 'of the same mind as their leader and 
that some were still fearful of attacks by the band 
which they had successfully driven off. Some 
time elapsed, however, before the true purposes of 
the Blackfeet were discovered. 


[ 98 ] 


CHAPTER XI 


A TRYING EXPERIENCE 

M eanwhile the little band continued 
steadily on its way. Reuben now 
thought of the missing Jean less fre- 
quently. He was confident that the French 
trapper was abundantly able to protect himself, 
and, besides, there was less peril for a man alone 
than there was for a large force of the trappers. 
The Indians were intensely jealous, fearful for the 
safety of their possessions, and angry at the in- 
truders for daring to come in numbers to trap 
along the streams which the redmen had been 
taught to believe belonged to them by inheri- 
tance. 

There were occasions when the presence of the 
prowling Indians was evident, for horses several 
times vanished from the camp and were not found 
again. The traps, too, which were used by the 
men in their advance, frequently disappeared, and 
there was slight question in the mind of the young 
leader that the Blackfeet, although they had not 
dared to make an open attack since the ambus- 
[ 99 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

cade, none the less were steadily following their 
enemies. 

At last it was decided that the division should 
go on toward the Sacramento River, while part of 
the force already had been sent back to Taos to 
dispose of the beaver skins which had been secured 
and also to get more traps. All the remaining men 
agreed to continue on to the Sacramento, and in 
this company was young Reuben Benton. To the 
lad the days were all filled with interest the chief 
of which was in the expeditions for hunting the 
savage grizzly, whose reputation for blind and sav- 
age courage increased as the men journeyed farther 
among the towering mountains. 

The Indians, however, whom they met as they 
proceeded on their way, proved more and more 
friendly. The stories, too, which the redmen told 
of the marvels of the valley of the Sacramento in- 
creased the desire of Reuben and his companions 
to see the land which was declared to be not only 
marvellously beautiful and fertile, but also to 
abound in beaver. 

To reach this land of promise, however, it was 
necessary for the little company to make its way 
across a country upon which neither grass nor 
trees grew, and where water was seldom found. 
Even the wild animals avoided these desert plains. 
Not a deer was likely to be found in the course of 
[ 100 ] 


A TRYING EXPERIENCE 

the journey, and the buffaloes were far behind the 
mountains, which now were in the rear of the ad- 
vancing trappers. 

Before entering upon the final stage of the jour- 
ney it was decided that there should be a rest of 
several days. Accordingly the entire party went 
into camp. The horses were fed far better than 
had been the daily custom and were not compelled 
to carry any burdens. The trappers employed 
the time thus afforded in hunting. There was 
need of food in the party, and to supply this need 
Kit Carson and a half-dozen others, among whom 
was Reuben, devoted much of their time to hunt- 
ing for animals that would provide meat. 

On the second day, while Reuben, Kit Carson, 
and a man who was called Jack were about six 
miles from the place where the camp had been 
pitched, they discovered a herd of deer. The 
curious animals plainly were not familiar with the 
sight of men. They were discovered near a spring 
on the border of a grove that grew far down into 
the plains. At least a dozen of the creatures were 
seen by the keen-eyed leader. 

“We mustn’t lose any of them,” said Kit Car- 
son in a whisper, as he turned to his followers. 
“The best thing we can do is to spread out and 
come up to them in a semicircle.” 

“They have seen us already,” suggested Jack. 

[ 101 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

‘‘That’s true,” replied Kit Carson, “but the very 
fact that they have not run away will make it 
easier for us to get more of them, and we must 
have them. Our very lives may depend upon our 
aim. I hope every one will hit his target.” 

In accordance with the directions of the hunter, 
the party spread out and prepared to creep nearer 
the spring, advancing in a semicircle. Even 
when they had come within fifty yards of the water 
the inquisitive animals were still standing, gazing 
almost stupidly at the approaching hunters. In- 
deed to Reuben it almost seemed as if the timid 
creatures were unable to flee. Even the fawns, 
with ears erect, stood gazing open-eyed at the men. 

In this manner the trappers approached, as has 
been said, within fifty yards, and then at a given 
signal all arose and fired upon the timid animals. 
Two of the deer were seen to fall. Then with a 
loud summons to his followers. Kit Carson, after 
he had hastily reloaded his rifle, darted toward the 
spring from which even yet the startled deer had 
withdrawn only a few yards. 

In a brief time the guns were reloaded and almost 
together the trappers once more fired at the grace- 
ful creatures that were still gazing at them. A 
third deer fell to the ground, but all its companions 
instantly fled from the spot. 

“We didn’t get as many as we ought to,” said 
[ 102 ] 


A TRYING EXPERIENCE 

Kit Carson quietly when the men approached the 
place where the fallen deer were lying. “I shall 
be surprised if we do not find that some of these 
deer are pretty well filled with lead. We ought to 
have arranged for no two men to fire at the same 
animal.” The trapper’s suggestion was found to 
be correct, for six bullets were found in one of the 
bodies. 

In response to the directions of the scout, the 
men at once took their knives and skinned the 
creatures, and then, while part of them sewed 
the skins into water-bags, the others prepared to 
smoke the meat which had been secured. 

Haunches of venison were dried on the branches 
of trees above the reach of prowling wolves, and 
fires were kindled beneath them which it was be- 
lieved would last throughout the coming night. 
The smoke from the flames soon hid the suspended 
bodies, and, satisfied that their work for the day 
had been completed, the hunters turned and de- 
parted for the camp in the defiles of the moun- 
tains. 

To Reuben Benton these experiences were all 
so novel that he had ceased to think often of the 
missing Jean, and he was thoroughly enjoying 
his adventures. Such a life was wholly new to the 
eager-hearted boy. In the vicinity of his home he 
often had trapped and hunted, but nothing had 
[ 103 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

occurred like the exciting incidents of his hunting 
with the great scout. Perhaps the honour of 
being associated with Kit Carson, whose name was 
already familiar in all the West, provided the 
greatest enjoyment of all. More and more Reuben 
was impressed by the quiet self-control of Carson 
and the respect which was paid him by all the 
men in the company. 

Reuben, who was a strong and rugged boy, had 
found no difficulty thus far in keeping up with the 
men. Indeed, his spirit of eagerness several times 
had led him far in advance of his companions. 
Kjt Carson, however, occasionally had rebuked 
him for his foolhardiness and told him that his 
safety depended almost entirely upon his remaining 
in the company of his fellow trappers. There 
was slight question in his mind that the Indians 
had followed them all through the defiles of the 
mountains. Whether or not the pursuit would 
be maintained was a question which could be 
solved only by the events which might occur when 
once the party had entered on its way across 
the pathless desert. 

On the day after the shooting of the three deer 
Reuben and Jack, together with two other trap- 
pers, were sent to obtain the carcasses, which 
had been left hanging from the boughs of the tree 
under which the fires had been kindled. For the 
[ 104 ] 


A TRYING EXPERIENCE 

meat to be thoroughly cured a longer time would 
be required, but as the horses were now rested, 
the men were eager to push forward. 

Just before the departure from the camp was 
made three Indians were seen approaching, lead- 
ing a poor old horse that was soon found to be 
blind as well as lame. By the use of signs the 
Indians finally agreed to sell the poor old creature 
and then departed with the money which they 
received. After they were gone the horse itself 
was killed and roasted, and the trappers that night 
enjoyed a feast of tough horse-meat and water 
from the moimtain springs. 

The following morning the entire band set forth 
on their long and difficult journey across the plains. 
When three days had elapsed, the riders, wearied 
by their journey and nearly parched with thirst, 
were well-nigh exhausted. The supply of water 
which they had brought with them had proved to 
be inadequate. 

All the efforts of Kit Carson were required to 
keep up the courage of his followers. The heat 
had been intense, and the brief rest which had been 
given the horses and mules had not been suflScient 
to restore their full strength. Even the animals 
were dejected as they lifted their feet from the 
heated sands and slowly moved forward. 

Not a word of complaint, however, had escaped 
[ 105 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

the lips of Reuben. Fearful that the objection 
which had been made at St. Louis against his 
joining a party of trappers would be repeated 
here, the boy had done his utmost to bear the 
hardships that he was compelled to endure. His 
lips were swollen and cracked, and the intense 
feeling of hunger which he had the preceding day 
had given place to a dull ache. His inanner was 
thoroughly dispirited as he slowly followed his 
companions. The mule which he was riding had 
lagged behind the other animals, until Reuben was 
several yards in the rear of the little company. 

It was at this time that Carson, noting the 
plight of his young friend, dropped behind and 
waited for Reuben to approach. 

‘‘Well, lad,” he said, striving to speak cheerfully, 
“how is it.^” 

Reuben, almost unable to speak, shook his head 
as he tried to smile in response to the query of his 
friend. 

“It’s a pity, lad,” continued the guide, “but 
there’s no going back. We have got into a hard 
piece of work, but the only thing to do is to go 
ahead. That is the only way out, so keep up your 
heart and don’t give in.” 

Reuben nodded decidedly to show that his 
determination was still unbroken, and as he did 
so the mule he was riding suddenly lifted his 
[ 106 ] 


' A TRYING EXPERIENCE 

head and, after he had sniffed the air, lowered it 
almost to the sand, and emitted several prolonged, 
heart-breaking, agonizing brays. 

The stentorian blasts were quickly answered by 
similar sounds from the other mules in the train. 
Despite the efforts of the weary men to control the 
beasts, they all immediately began to run, followed 
speedily by the horses. 


[ 107 ] 


CHAPTER XII 


A PUZZLING MESSENGER 

W HAT’S wrong? What’s the matter?” 

demanded Reuben excitedly of Kit Car- 
son, who was riding by his side. 

“Don’t you know?” laughed the leader good- 
naturedly. 

“No, I don’t know, that’s why I asked,” re- 
plied Reuben in the disjointed words he was able 
to speak, while the mule which he was riding in- 
creased the speed at which he was running. 

“They have sniffed water.” 

“But I can’t see it anywhere!” 

“That’s likely,” replied the hunter, smiling as 
he spoke. He was having less difficulty than his 
young companion in controlling his mount. 

The animal which Reuben was riding had 
stretched forth its neck and its muscles were al- 
most as tense and stiff as if they had been made of 
bone. Occasionally one of the excited mules stopped, 
and, planting its feet firmly in the ground, stretched 
forth its neck, elevated its tail, and at the same time 
emitted another prolonged and discordant bray. 
[ 108 ] 


A PUZZLING MESSENGER 

The minutes passed swiftly and no signs of the 
longed-for water were discovered. An hour passed 
in the wild flight and still the stream was not 
found. To Reuben’s protest that the mules had 
been mistaken, Kit Carson made no reply save to 
smile in the quiet manner which was characteristic 
of him, and slowly shook his head as if he still 
had faith in the instinct of the strange beasts. 

Ten minutes later a cry arose from the dry 
throats of the men when a stream not far in ad- 
vance was seen by them all. In a brief time the 
entire line had gained the banks and men and 
animals alike plunged into the water and drank 
their All. 

‘T never knew before how good it seemed to 
have all the water I wanted to drink,” said Reuben 
with a sigh of relief when he returned to the bank 
and once more stood beside the leader. 

“It’s just like air and sunshine and other things 
that are so common that no one thinks they are 
worth much,” replied Carson thoughtfully. “It 
is only when we lose them that we think they are 
worth having.” 

“This certainly is worth having,” said Reuben 
fervently. 

“It’s so good that I think we’ll stay here for a 
little while. Turn in, boys,” the leader added, call- 
ing to his companions, “and we’ll make camp.” 

[ 109 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

The courage and hope of the men had now re- 
turned in full force, and the long journey across 
the desert was forgotten or ignored. Eagerly 
they responded to the call of their leader, and in a 
brief time a comfortable camp had been made on 
the banks of the little stream. 

For two days the weary men remained in the 
camp. In a few spots near the spring grass had 
grown, and this, together with the leaves of the 
trees, provided food for the horses. No wild 
animals were seen during the stay of the men, and 
on the third day, when the journey was resumed, 
there were few traces to be seen of the suffering 
which the trappers had endured in their ride across 
the desert. There still remained, however, a long 
and toilsome journey between them and the region 
which they were seeking. Occasionally a stream 
of running water was found, and then the party 
went into camp for two or three days. 

When at last they arrived in the beautiful valley 
of San Gabriel they were nearly exhausted, but 
the sight which greeted their eyes did much to 
restore their spirits. 

In the valley was the Mission of San Gabriel, 
established many years before this time by the 
Spanish padres in their labours among the Indians 
of that region. Already the fruits of their devoted 
work were to be seen. In the valley there were 
[ 110 ] 


A PUZZLING MESSENGER 

many fields of waving grain and great orchards 
whose trees were bending under the loads of fruit 
which hung from their branches. In certain parts 
of the valley there were large herds of cattle, and 
many flocks of sheep were to be seen, almost as 
numerous as the cattle. 

The sight of all these good things instantly 
revived the drooping spirits of the trappers. It 
is true they had little to offer in exchange, but the 
people of the mission and the Indians of the vicin- 
ity were kind to the newcomers, and in a brief 
time the wants of the nearly famished men were 
all supplied. 

Perhaps some of them rejoiced more over the 
fact that water and food for their horses abounded 
than they did over the reports that were given 
them of the multitudes of beaver that were to be 
found in the nearby streams. To Reuben the 
region seemed to be a land of plenty. The In- 
dians were peaceful and apparently happy, and the 
few white men that were to be seen in the vicinity 
were prosperous and contented. 

After the men had been thoroughly rested. Kit 
Carson explained to Reuben that the time had 
come for them to enter upon the work which had 
been their object in seeking the marvellous valley. 

‘‘We’ll go down the San Joaquin River,” he ex- 
plained. “We shan’t have any trouble in getting 
[ 111 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

the skins we want, and at the same time we’ll find 
game enough to supply all our needs. All you 
have to do,” he added, with a laugh, “is to look at 
the men. A little while ago they were haK-starved 
and as lean as bullrushes. Just look at them now! 
Almost every one is getting so fat he won’t be able 
to do his trapping.” 

“Yes,” laughed Reuben. “They all look as if 
they would rather stay here than go on any far- 
ther.” 

“That’s just what they must do, though,” said 
Kit. “I have seen a good many men in my life 
who did all right until they came to the last thing 
that had to be done and then they gave out. I 
believe there are more men that lose because they 
don’t follow up to the very end what they have 
begun than from any other one thing. Who’s this 
coming.^” he added abruptly as he turned and saw 
a stranger approaching on horseback. 

At first the approaching man was thought to be 
a priest, as he was dressed in a strange garb that 
somewhat resembled that worn by the priests in 
charge of the mission. As he came nearer, how- 
ever, they discovered that he was not a priest, and 
when he spoke, his words confirmed Kit Carson in 
his conclusion. 

“I am looking for a man named Kit Carson,” 
explained the newcomer. 

[ 112 ] 


A PUZZLING MESSENGER 


‘‘You won’t have to look very far,” replied the 
guide quietly. 

“Where is he?” 

“Not very far away.” 

“Tell me where he is and I will go to him.” 

“I reckon I am the man you’re looking for.” 

“You?” exclaimed the stranger in surprise. 
“You? Are you Kit Carson? Why, you’re noth- 
ing but a boy.” 

“I’m not very old,” replied the guide with a 
smile, “ but that’s a fault I hope to correct some day. 
Meanwhile let me tell you that my name is Kit 
Carson. If you have any message for him you had 
better give it to me.” 

“I came from the Mission San Gabriel,” ex- 
plained the newcomer, after a brief silence in which 
he had steadily looked into the face of the young 
hunter. “One of the padres sent me. He says 
that some Indians have run away with some of our 
sheep. It is the same band that stole some horses 
from the mission a few weeks ago. Before that 
they stole some of our cattle. The padre wants 
to know if some of your men will help us to punish 
them.” 

“Where are they?” asked Kit Carson. 

“We don’t know exactly, but we suspect that 
they have gone to one of the strongest of the 
Indian villages.” 


[ 113 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


“Will they fight?” 

“I think they will.” 

“Then we will go,” said the guide quickly. 
“You tell the padre that we’ll help him out. 
How many men does he want?” 

“All you can spare.” 

“Tell him we’ll be at the mission to-morrow 
morning. There will be as many of us as care to 
go, whether it is the whole eighteen or only one.” 

“You will be the one?” inquired the stranger. 

“I will be one,” laughed Kit Carson, “but I 
do not think I will be the only one.” 

Reuben had been silent throughout the conver- 
sation and seldom had turned his face away from 
the man who had brought the message from the 
San Gabriel Mission. 

When the messenger departed Reuben turned to 
Kit Carson and said: “That man looks enough 
like Jean Badeau to be his own brother.” 

“Who is Jean Badeau?” 

“Why, he’s the trapper that I came with from 
St. Louis.” 

“The one you lost in the camp when we first 
saw you?” 

“Yes.” 

“Are you sure he isn’t the same man?” 

“No, I am not sure, and that’s just the trouble. 
Of course it is some time since I saw him.” 

[ 114 ] 


A PUZZLING MESSENGER 

“Don’t you know his voice?” 

“His voice certainly sounded like Jean’s.” 

“Why didn’t you ask him if he is Jean?” 

“I don’t know why I didn’t,” replied Reuben. 
“He looks like him, and yet if it is another man it 
might make trouble.” 

“How would it make trouble?” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” replied Reuben somewhat 
uneasily. “I cannot see why Jean should be down 
here in this valley, anyway, unless he wanted to 
get away from everybody.” 

“Is that the reason why we came?” demanded 
Kit Carson quizzically. 

“No, we came for the beaver skins.” 

“Perhaps your friend came for the same reason. 
You’ll soon know, though, whether he’s the real 
one or not, because when we go over to the mission 
to look up these thieving redskins, you probably 
will see the man again and can find out just who he 
is and why he is here.” 

For the time Reuben was forced to be content, 
and yet on the following day, when with eleven 
others he went to the San Gabriel Mission, the 
question in his mind still remained unanswered. 
He looked about on every side, but did not discover 
the messenger. Nor was he able to make inquir- 
ies, for he understood neither the Spanish nor the 
Indian tongue. 


[ 115 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

In a brief time, however, his thoughts were with- 
drawn from Jean to the task which immediately 
confronted them. A band of twenty-five or more 
soon set forth from the mission, half the men be- 
longing to the force which Kit Carson had led into 
the valley. 

The trappers and the volunteers from the mis- 
sion rode swiftly away, and not more than three 
hours had elapsed when they arrived at the Indian 
village which they were seeking. When they drew 
near, the advancing party halted, while one of the 
white men advanced to meet three Indians who had 
now come forth from the village. It was impos- 
sible for Reuben to hear what was said, nor would 
he have understood the conversation had he been 
able to hear it. It was not long, however, before 
the white man returned to his followers with the 
statement that the Indians had absolutely refused 
to give up the redmen for whom they had come. 

The village was not large, but the warriors plainly 
outnumbered the white men. To attack seemed 
foolhardy. 

Greatly to Reuben’s surprise, after a brief con- 
sultation had been held between Kit Carson and 
the leader of the men from the mission, the hunter 
turned to his followers and said quietly: “There is 
only one way for us to get those rascals. We must 
attack the village.” 


[ 116 ] 


CHAPTER XIII 


PURSUIT 

F or a moment the startled men gazed 
silently at their leader. Every one had 
been confident that when they drew near 
the Indian village the redmen would give up the 
culprits. However, the quietly spoken declara- 
tion of Kit Carson speedily aroused a spirit of 
determination, and every one of his followers was 
willing to do his utmost to carry out his directions. 

Before an attack was made, however, the daring 
hunter approached the village alone and noisily 
summoned the braves to a second conference. 
Doubtless the slight form of the hunter and his 
boyish appearance created a false impression in 
the minds of the Indians. That such a man could 
really be the leader of the white men and that his 
courage would be equal to an attack upon their 
village was plainly something the braves did not 
believe. A brief conference followed, but the re- 
sult of it was not any more satisfactory than had 
been that of the former interview. 

Turning sharply about, Kit Carson quietly 
[ 117 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

went back to his companions, and then before the 
Indians were fully aware that he was gone, he 
said in a low voice to his men: “Fire on the vil- 
lage! Every one pick his man, and don’t one of 
you miss!” 

Instantly dropping upon their knees the men 
obeyed the order. Almost like the report of one 
gun the rifles rang out together. 

Without waiting for the smoke to clear and re- 
veal the result of their attack, every man hastily 
reloaded his rifle and raised his gun to his shoulder, 
ready for instant use. The Indians were not armed 
except with bows and arrows, and the distance at 
which Carson’s followers had fired was believed 
to be out of range of the warriors. 

Cries of alarm and confusion arose from the 
village. Few of the redmen had believed that 
the white men would dare attack, and the unex- 
pected action had thrown the entire place into 
confusion. It is true the Indians greatly out- 
numbered the little attacking party, but as soon 
as it was discovered that the white men were 
deadly in earnest and determined to secure the 
culprits for whom they had come, their greater 
numbers did not afford much comfort to the 
startled braves. Many of them fled from the 
village, and those who remained speedily decided 
to give up their guilty comrades who had sought 
‘ [ 118 ] 


PURSUIT 


refuge among them. It was impossible to resist 
the onslaught of the band which had attacked 
them, when it was led by such a man as the quiet, 
courageous scout. 

For the third time the rifles were loaded, but 
before they were discharged an Indian was seen 
approaching, extending the palms of his hands in 
token of his peaceful purpose. 

Directly behind him appeared a young Indian 
on horseback. He followed the chief, who was 
advancing toward the white men, until he came 
near the place where the spokesman halted. Al- 
though the followers of Kit Carson were prepared 
for any event, no gun was fired, while all the men 
awaited the coming of the messenger. It was 
believed now that there would be no further at- 
tempt to shield the guilty parties for whom the 
padre at the San Gabriel Mission had sent the 
expedition. 

For a moment, although none of the watchful 
observers was able to discover the cause, the herald 
remained silent. Reuben, who was deeply in- 
terested in the exciting event, now saw, approach- 
ing from the village, a young squaw. Just what 
was her purpose in coming was not apparent. 

The herald began his speech. “We shall no 
longer protect the men for whom the white brothers 
have come,” he explained. “We did not ask them 
[ 119 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

to come to our village. They were in trouble and 
they sought us out. We would punish them for 
the evil they did to the good padre, but now that 
the padre’s men have come to take back to the 
mission the men who have done evil, we shall no 
longer try to hold them in our village. The broth- 
ers of the padre when they see the evildoers coming 
forth from our village will not then make any more 
attacks upon us.” 

The spokesman paused as if he was waiting for 
Carson to respond to his implied question. As 
the hunter remained silent, the Indian herald 
continued his appeal. “Already we have children 
that are fatherless because the white men have 
killed our braves. You can hear the wailing of 
the squaws whose husbands and sons you have 
slain. Is not this enough punishment for the 
white men to visit upon us? We shall no longer 
try to shield those who fled to us for refuge.” 

“Will you give us every one?” demanded Kit 
Carson abruptly. 

“Every one,” replied the Indian. 

“Then tell them to come out to us now.” 

The Indian turned back toward the village and 
then, abruptly halting, once more faced the scout. 
“And will my white brother promise that no harm 
shall befall us? That he will take the bad Indians 
only? Will he promise that they shall be dealt 
[ 120 ] 


PURSUIT 


with justly, and that no harm shall come to them 
on their way back to the mission? ” 

“I make no promises except to tell you that 
every man will be treated as he deserves.” 

“That’s just the very thing they don’t want,” 
muttered Jack, who had been listening as he stood 
opposite Reuben. “If they got what they de- 
served there wouldn’t be many left in the village.” 

“I’m afraid there wouldn’t be very many left 
among us either,” suggested Reuben quietly. 

“What do you mean?” demanded Jack. 

“WTiy, I mean that if every man got what he 
deserved perhaps he would be worse off than he is 
now.” 

“I never got all that I deserved,” said Jack 
sharply. “I’ve seen a good many men who passed 
for more than they were worth and then again 
I’ve seen others who didn’t pass for what they 
were worth.” 

“Which is your class?” said Reuben, laughing. 
Throughout the conversation he had not turned 
away his gaze from the exciting events which were 
occurring before him. 

“It doesn’t make any difference which is my 
class,” retorted Jack. “All I say is that Indians 
are all in one class ” 

Jack stopped abruptly, for at that moment it 
was seen that the young squaw who had come 
[ 121 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

from the village had now turned quickly toward 
the young Indian who had approached on horse- 
back. Suddenly the mounted Indian darted ahead, 
his horse apparently breaking into its swiftest 
paces at its first leap forward. 

The action of the Indian girl, however, was most 
startling of all. As the young brave fied from the 
spot she grasped the tail of the horse he was riding, 
and, clinging tenaciously to it, she was partly 
dragged and partly helped forward as both fied 
from the spot. 

At the first sight of the unexpected happening 
the men with Carson laughed loudly. To them 
it was apparently a joke of some kind that was 
being enacted before them. In a moment, how- 
ever, Kit Carson turned to Reuben and Jack and 
said: “Take your horses and follow that redskin. 
He’s trying to get away and he’s using the squaw 
as a shield. If he thinks that she is going to pro- 
tect him, just show him how mistaken he is. Take 
after them and don’t come back until you get 
them both.” 

Instantly Reuben and Jack obeyed the command 
which had been given them, and putting their 
horses into their best paces started in pursuit of 
the fieeing pair. 

It was not long, however, before they discovered 
that the Indian pony, in spite of the load he was 
[1221 


RURSUIT 


carrying and the weight that was attached to his 
tail — ^for the Indian girl still was clinging tena- 
ciously to her hold — was much swifter than those 
of his pursuers. 

The marvel of it all was the fearless manner in 
which the young squaw still clung to the tail of 
the running animal. There were moments when 
she was dragged over the sands, and then again 
she would regain her footing and, running swiftly 
and leaping wildly, continue her flight. But what- 
ever befell her, whether she was dragged or drawn, 
her grasp was not relaxed. 

The horses which Reuben and Jack were riding 
were old and slow. The main thought in the 
minds of the men when they departed from the 
mission did not concern any possible pursuit. They 
all had confidently believed that as soon as they ap- 
proached the Indian village the culprits whom they 
were seeking would be delivered into their hands. 

Their plans, however, had undergone a change, 
owing to the attack which they had been com- 
pelled to make. And now the wild flight of the 
two Indians convinced the pursuers that the brave 
was a man of importance in the tribe and that 
there were special reasons why he was eager to 
escape. 

Doggedly the white men held to the pursuit, 
but as they fled across the level plains toward the 
[ 123 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

defiles of the mountains not more than ten miles 
away, they were soon aware that there was slight 
probability of their overtaking the fugitives. 

‘‘My horse is winded!” called Jack sharply. 
“Let’s turn back!” 

“We can’t turn back,” replied Reuben. 

“We can, and I shall,” retorted Jack. 

“You’ll have to go alone,” said Reuben. “Kit 
Carson told us to follow this redskin until we got 
him. We have been following him, but we haven’t 
got him yet.” 

“Well, I can’t follow any farther,” said Jack, 
and as Reuben glanced at the horse of his com- 
panion he was convinced that the man had spoken 
truly. The sides of the poor beast were heaving 
convulsively and its suffering was clearly apparent. 

“You stop here!” called Reuben. “I’ll go 
ahead alone. I have a rifle and the redskin hasn’t 
any, so I’m not afraid. ” 

In response to his suggestion Jack drew rein on 
his horse, and when Reuben glanced behind he 
saw that the poor animal was barely able to stand. 
The necessity of urging his own horse forward, 
however, soon caused him to ignore the plight of 
his companion and he continued his well-nigh hope- 
less pursuit. 

Reuben was convinced that the Indian, although 
now he had stopped and had taken the squaw be- 
[ 124 ] 


PUESUIT 


hind him on the back of his pony, would be able to 
outdistance him. In the pursuit they had steadily 
drawn nearer the foothills and once among them 
Reuben was convinced that the fugitives would 
escape. Doubtless they were familiar with the 
valleys and the gorges and would speedily find 
some place in which to hide. But remembering 
the words which had been spoken to him by Kit 
Carson, and in a measure unconsciously imitating 
the spirit of the young scout, which knew no such 
word as turning back, Reuben still clung to the 
chase. The horse he was riding was slow, but its 
wind apparently was holding out. Again the boy 
glanced behind him, and quickly discovered that 
he was no longer able to see his companion. What 
had become of Jack was not plain, but without any 
thought of giving in, Reuben urged his steed for- 
ward. 

In a brief time he was approaching the valley 
which he had seen when the pursuit first began. 
It was a narrow pass between the foothills. What 
lay beyond it he did not know, but his spirit of 
determination was so strongly aroused that when 
the Indian whom he was following turned into the 
narrow defile he decided at once to follow him. 

Not long afterward Reuben found himself in the 
gorge. It was several hundred feet wide and on 
one side there was a steep, precipitous rock. On 
[ 125 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

the opposite side the valley extended for several 
hundred feet to the right, and apparently much of 
it was under cultivation. Surprised by his dis- 
covery, Reuben still did not stop. He was relying 
chiefly upon the rifle he carried for his defence. 

He had not advanced more than two hundred 
yards beyond the narrow opening before he was 
aware that further pursuit of the fugitives would 
be useless. Both had disappeared from sight and 
doubtless were hidden in some one of the many 
caves past which he had been riding. 

Still keenly alerts Reuben turned and began to 
retrace his way toward the entrance of the valley. 
He had advanced only a few yards, however, when 
his progress was abruptly halted. 


[ 126 ] 


CHAPTER XIV 


CAPTURED 

D irectly in front of Reuben five Indians 
stepped from behind a huge rock and 
halted his progress. Two of them seized 
his horse by its bridle, while two more advanced 
upon him, one from each side. 

Startled by the unexpected sight, Reuben gazed 
at the men a moment, and then when he tried to 
bring his gun to his shoulder his arms were held 
powerless in the grasp of his captors. A moment 
later he was thankful that his enemies had pre- 
vented him from using his weapon. If he had 
succeeded he was well aware that instantly he 
would have been overpowered and doubtless slain 
by the young redmen. 

Several times one of the Indians questioned 
Reuben, but the boy was unable to understand 
what was said, and consequently attempted no 
reply. In a brief time the conversation ceased, 
and his hands were securely bound behind his 
back. He was compelled to dismount and to follow 
[ 127 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

the men, who now took his pony and led the way 
farther within the valley. 

They were moving cautiously, too, an act which 
Reuben did not understand. His confusion, how- 
ever, was soon gone when, after a walk of a half- 
hour, he was conducted to a camp in which fifteen 
Indians were seated around a fire over which they 
were roasting pieces of meat that he strongly sus- 
pected had been cut from the cattle stolen from the 
mission. 

As the young prisoner was ignorant alike of the 
language spoken by the Indians and of the few 
words of Spanish which one of them was able to 
speak, he was at a complete loss to understand not 
only who they were and what their plans might be, 
but also what was likely to be his fate. His hands 
had been freed after he had been brought to the 
camp, but he was not permitted to leave the en- 
closure. When night came he was conducted to a 
cave among the nearby rocks and there by signs 
was informed that he was to remain throughout 
the night. 

Several Indians seated themselves before the 
mouth of the cave, and Reuben was convinced that 
escape for the present at least was impossible. 

Three days slowly passed. Not once was he 
permitted to leave his prison, although he was not 
treated unkindly. Food was given him every 
[ 128 ] 



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CAPTURED 

morning and night, and a gourd of water every 
morning was placed at his disposal. 

As the afternoon of the third day wore on, Reu- 
ben became aware of a partly suppressed but in- 
creasing excitement among his captors. At first 
he was hopeful that the place was about to be 
attacked by some of his friends, in which event he 
might hope for release. It was impossible for him, 
however, to obtain any information from the In- 
dians, and indeed few of them now even glanced 
at him as they apparently prepared to depart. 

Reuben was disappointed when he learned that 
only half of the Indians were to leave the place. 
The excitement among the others, however, did not 
die away, and they frequently talked with one 
another in low voices and pointed anxiously in the 
direction in which their friends had gone. When 
darkness fell Reuben stretched himself upon the 
hard floor of the cave, and although he was aware 
of the excitement which still possessed his cap- 
tors, he was convinced that he would be unable 
to learn the cause of it, and soon was sleeping 
soundly. 

The first faint streaks of daylight were seen 
when Reuben was awakened by the return of the 
men who had departed the preceding night. In- 
stantly it was plain to him what the purpose of 
their journey had been. With them now were at 
[ 129 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


least threescore horses, and as he looked keenly at 
the animals Reuben recognized some of them. 
They had belonged to the men whom Kit Carson 
had been leading. Had their owners perished.^ 
Had there been a night attack by the redmen and 
had Kit Carson’s band been destroyed.^ Excited 
as Reuben was he was not able to find any answer 
to his questions, though he eagerly interrogated 
several of the redmen with signs. Not one of them, 
however, gave any heed to their prisoner and his 
demonstrations. All about the camp the redmen 
were in action, and it was plain to the boy that they 
were planning to depart quickly. 

His surmise proved to be correct, for within a 
few minutes all their weapons and belongings had 
been packed on the backs of their horses and they 
were ready to start. For a moment Reuben was 
hopeful that he was about to be left behind, but 
this was not to be, for one of the Indians ap- 
proached and motioned for him to follow. Obe- 
dient to the command, Reuben accompanied his 
captor, who led the way to the spot where several 
of the Indian ponies were standing. Altogether 
there were not more than twenty of the Indian 
braves. How they had been able to secure so 
many horses and to return to their camp without 
any one having been injured was still a puzzle to 
Reuben. In obedience to the motion of his captor 
[1301 


CAPTURED 


he leaped upon the back of one of the horses and 
took the reins in his hands. 

The excitement of the band increased when at 
last it set forth from the place. Every rider was 
leading two or three horses. It was plain, too, 
that the Indians were fearful of pursuit. Fre- 
quently they would glance behind them, as if 
expecting an attack. They had not gone far, 
however, before a brief halt was called and three 
of the braves were sent back to form a rear guard. 

Throughout the day the flight was continued, 
with only two or three breaks, when the men and 
horses stopped to quench their thirst at a running 
stream. Even when night fell the march was con- 
tinued. Occasionally the band halted, while the 
men who formed the rear guard joined them and a 
brief conference was held. In every case, however, 
either the guard or those who were to take their 
place returned to the rear and the journey was 
resumed. 

There were only slight and occasional rests dur- 
ing the second day. It was becoming increasingly 
plain to Reuben that the men were not only in 
desperate haste, but were in great fear of pursuit. 

Grimly the young prisoner assured himself that 
their fears were well grounded, if their horses had 
been stolen from the band of which Kit Carson was 
the leader. Still Reuben was not ill-treated, al- 
[ 131 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

though his conviction became stronger that if he 
should try to escape his fate would be quickly 
sealed. 

The way over which they had come had been 
rough, and in places it was only with great difficulty 
the horses were able to advance. The ride was 
hard and all the braves by this time were showing 
the effect of their almost continuous ride. The 
distance which they had covered, however, had 
been much less than if they had been fleeing over 
the plains. 

When the darkness of the third night fell the 
wearied warriors halted, and Reuben suspected 
from their actions that now a longer time for rest 
was to be granted. It was also plain that much 
of the fear which had urged the Indians forward 
was gone. And even Reuben did not dare to hope 
that his friends would follow the redmen so far. 
One hundred miles or more had been covered in 
the three days, he assured himself. With a sink- 
ing heart he was beginning to believe, with his 
captors, that the possibility of pursuit no longer 
existed. Evidently the Indians all felt now that 
they were safe. The silence which had rested over 
the party gave place to noisy calls and shouts. 

Not long after the halt had been called, Reuben 
was startled when he saw that the Indians were 
preparing for a feast. Two of the poor beasts that 
[ 132 ] 


CAPTURED 


had carried them safely throughout their flight 
and were nearly exhausted were taken apart from 
the others and killed. The skins were stripped 
from the bodies, and then over the fires, which were 
speedily kindled, the flesh was roasted, and a wild 
feast followed. 

With strength restored by the food they had 
eaten and their fears of pursuit now gone, the 
Indians were like children. They laughed and 
even played pranks upon one another. 

After the hunger of the band had been appeased 
Reuben was given a portion for his own needs. 
It was almost impossible for him to bite through 
the tough flesh, but hunger provided a strong in- 
centive and soon he, too, was sharing in the changed 
mental attitude of the entire group. As he glanced 
behind him at the hills among which they had 
passed he saw that the moon had risen and that 
night was at hand. There was still sufficient light, 
however, to enable him to see distinctly all about 
him as he watched the antics of his childlike 
captors. 

Suddenly in the midst of their pranks there came 
a rude and sharp interruption. The reports of 
rifles were heard from two sides of the camp. Sev- 
eral of the Indians fell to the ground, and Reuben 
instantly followed their example, although he was 
uninjured. 


[ 133 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

With wild cries the redmen now ran for their 
horses, but as they approached the place where 
they had corralled them there were fresh shots, and 
others of the Indians fell. 

With renewed and louder shouts they now turned 
and ran swiftly toward the plains beyond. Many 
of them had been able to secure mounts and some 
of the horses were carrying double loads. Most of 
the animals, however, had been abandoned in the 
sudden flight. 

By this time the men who had attacked the camp 
were near enough to enable Reuben to recognize 
them as his recent companions. Among them he 
saw the youthful form of Kit Carson riding at some 
distance to the left of his comrades and evidently 
fearful of an attack from the redmen who might 
still remain in the camp. 

Aside from those who had fallen, Reuben was 
convinced, as he lifted his head and gazed about 
him, that he was the only one left there alive. All 
those who had been able to escape had fled from the 
place. 

“Here I am. Kit! Don’t shoot!” he called 
loudly, afraid to lift his head lest instantly he 
should be made the target of the excited trappers. 

“ Who’s calling? Who is it? ” demanded Kit Car- 
son quickly, as he and his companions stopped to 
stare blankly all about them at the unexpected hail. 

[ 134 ] 


CAPTURED 


‘‘Here I am!” repeated Reuben. “If you won’t 
shoot I’ll stand up.” 

“Go ahead, show yourself!” called Kit Carson. 
At the command Reuben instantly arose and was 
recognized by the scout and his band. 


[ 135 ] 


CHAPTER XV 


A LONELY RIDE 


HE surprise of the trapper at first made 



him speechless, as he gazed at his young 


companion. He had been aware that 


Reuben had left the camp, but as yet he was with- 
out any suspicion that evil had befallen the lad. 

‘‘\^^lere did you come from? Why are you 
here?” he demanded slowly, as he advanced to 
the place where Reuben was standing. 

“I came because they made me come,” replied 
the boy somewhat ruefully. “They cut me off 
in the valley, so I couldn’t get back to the camp, 
and then they tied me up and made me come.” 

“You were very good to consent,” replied Kit 
Carson dryly. 

“That wasn’t the point,” laughed Reuben, im- 
mensely relieved now that he was once more 
among his friends. “It wasn’t whether I wanted 
to come, it was simply because I couldn’t get away !” 

“How far do you think you have come?” 

“I haven’t any idea. It seems like a long way.” 

“It’s a hundred miles.” 


[ 136 ] 


A LONELY RIDE 


“ Whew ! ’’ whistled Reuben. ‘‘ The way we came 
when we first started made me think that you 
were close on our heels. I never saw a band go 
faster than they did, and they kept the horses well 
together, too. Why didn’t you overtake us.^^ ” 

‘‘The redskins had too good a start. Some of 
the men thought we ought not to keep on.” 

“Why not.^'” 

“Because they said they were hiding among 
some of the gulches in the Sierras, and we never 
would stand any chance of getting them, while 
there was every chance that they would get us.” 

“But it has turned out all right,” laughed Reu- 
ben. “You have found me and you have got back 
your horses. ” 

“Yes, and we got some redskins, too,” added 
the guide quietly. As he spoke he turned toward 
the place where several of the fallen bodies were 
lying, and after he had examined every one to make 
sure that all were lifeless he turned once more to 
his followers and said: “I don’t think there is much 
danger of the rascals following us, but at the same 
time I think we had better start back for camp.” 

His suggestion was speedily acted upon. The 
horses of the trappers had travelled so fast and so 
far that some of them were well-nigh exhausted. 
In spite of their condition, however. Kit Carson 
insisted upon the men rapidly withdrawing from 
[ 137 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

the region. Reuben, as a matter of course, had 
joined the band, his heart lighter now as he was 
confident that his troubles were ended. His own 
pony was in better condition than those of his com- 
panions, and it was not difiicult for him to main- 
tain the speed at which they were riding. 

When two hours had elapsed and the sun had 
disappeared from sight, at the word of Kit Carson 
the men halted in a narrow ravine, and after guards 
had been established on each side of the camp, prep- 
arations for supper were made speedily. 

These preparations, however, did not require 
much time, as the supplies which the men had 
brought with them had been mostly consumed. 
Kit Carson and his young companion entered into 
the nearby region hoping to discover a deer or some 
birds which they might secure for supper. Their 
efforts, however, were unavailing, as no signs of any 
living animal were seen. WTien they returned to 
the camp the jerked venison which had provided 
the diet for the past twenty-four hours was all the 
food in the possession of the trappers. 

To Reuben the supper was tempting, because in 
the swiftness of the flight of his captors they had 
stopped only twice to eat, although they had 
halted several times for rest or to discover whether 
or not their enemies were close upon their trail. 

Before midnight, at the call of the leader, the 
[ 138 ] 


A LONELY RIDE 


men once more rode forward, and driving before 
them the ponies which they had reclaimed, they 
resumed their journey toward their camp. 

No signs of pursuit had been discovered, and the 
quiet declaration of Carson that the redskins would 
not attempt to follow them was accepted by all 
the men as correct. The loss of so many of the 
warriors — ^for eight had fallen at the first fire — 
doubtless had alarmed the Indians, who in their 
flight were not fully aware of the numbers in the 
attacking party. 

On the fourth day the band, with the horses 
which they had retaken from the Indians, re- 
entered the camp. Kit Carson and Reuben at 
the time formed the rear guard, so that they were 
unable to hear the words of welcome which were 
given the returning men when first their presence 
was discovered. In a brief time, however, the 
shouts were redoubled when the stolen horses were 
all made secure and the leader and Reuben rejoined 
their companions. 

‘‘How did you do it, Kit.^^” called Jake. 

“We just kept at it.” 

“How far did you go?” 

“Better than one hundred miles.” 

Jake whistled and said: “We never believed you 
would keep up. When you didn’t come back at the 
end of the first day we began to think something 
[ 189 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


must have happened to you and we were going to 
send a party out to rescue you.” 

“That was mighty good of you,” replied Kit 
Carson demurely, “but I’m not in the habit of 
giving up when I start.” 

“ So it seems, ” laughed Jake. “ I begin to under- 
stand why it is that the men are all willing to 
follow you.” 

“Why should we give up.^” inquired the scout 
simply. “We started out to get the horses, didn’t 
we?” 

“Yes, but I’ve seen a good many men who were 
willing to start, but that’s as far as they ever got.” 

“Well, we started and we came back, and when 
we came back we had the horses with us. That’s 
all there is to the story.” 

The words of Kit Carson, however, belied the 
feeling of the camp. There was great enthusiasm 
among the men, who were loud in their praises of 
the young leader who had followed the fleeing 
Indians far beyond the regions where they had 
believed he would be able to make his way or to 
discover their trail. 

“It’s all right now, anyway,” said Kit quietly. 
“I’m ready to turn in for the night.” 

As soon as the simple supper had been prepared 
and eaten, all the men in the camp sought their 
blankets. The horses which had been restored 
[ 140 ] 


A LONELY RIDE 


had been hobbled, and the various guards of the 
camp had been so placed that the approach of any 
one would be known at once. 

The following day, after a long conference be- 
tween the young scout and several of his men, 
Carson approached Reuben and said: “Do you 
think you could find your way to San Gabriel if 
you were to go alone?” 

“Yes,” replied Reuben quietly. “I am sure I 
can. ” 

“Through the Sierras?” 

“Yes, through the mountains. It is a simple 
path to find.” 

Kit Carson smiled as he said: “I hope you’ll 
find it so, because we want to send you back to 
the mission.” 

“When am I to go?” 

“Just as soon as you can get ready to start.” 

“I shall be ready in five minutes.” 

“That’s the way to talk,” said the scout quietly. 
“I’ll tell you what we want just as soon as you are 
ready.” 

Within the time which he had allotted for his 
preparations Reuben had all things in readiness for 
his departure. He had selected a pony which he 
was confident would be fleet and sure-footed, and 
his few belongings had been packed on the back of 
the faithful animal. Kit Carson handed him a 
[ 141 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


letter, sealed and addressed to “Captain White, 
at the San Gabriel Mission. ” 

“It is very important,” said Kit Carson in a low 
voice to Reuben after the latter had mounted his 
pony. “Come back just as soon as you have an 
answer. As I told you, it may be that there will 
be a man who will come with you, but of that I 
am not sure. At all events you are to look out for 
yourself, and don’t get caught again by the red- 
skins.” 

“Do you think I shall meet any?” inquired Reu- 
ben, startled by the suggestion. 

There was a quiet smile on the face of the scout 
as he said: “I don’t think you’ll have any trouble. 
About all the Indians out here on the coast do is to 
steal our horses or traps and get away with our 
skins. Take care of the letter and don’t lose it!” 

Armed with his rifle, and with provisions suffi- 
cient for his journey strapped upon the back of his 
sturdy little pony, Reuben departed from the camp. 
The way he was to follow lay for a time among the 
hills. In the heart of the excited boy there was a 
feeling of elation that he had been selected for this 
journey. He was eager to show Kit Carson and 
his comrades that they could depend upon his 
coolness and that he would be able to make his way 
in safety to the old mission and there deliver his 
message. He was mindful of the heat of the plains 
[ 142 ] 


A LONELY RIDE 


and of the length of the journey and consequently 
he did not urge his pony. At last he found him- 
seK among the narrow defiles of the bleak and 
towering Sierras. 

It was not diflficult for him to retrace the way by 
which he had come from the old mission the last 
time he had visited the station. It was now early 
in the morning, and he was hopeful that before 
sunset he would once more be among the friendly 
Indians and the whites who dwelt at San Gabriel. 

The morning passed without any adventures, 
and the afternoon sun was waning when at last 
Reuben entered a defile that was, as he recalled 
it, several miles long. On his left were stunted 
growths of trees and the sides of the mountains 
sloped gently back with the valley. On the oppo- 
site side, however, the cliffs were steep and the 
mighty crags in places hung directly over his path- 
way. He was following the bed of a stream, which 
was nearly dry, as the snows had largely disappeared 
from the slopes of the mountains. The sense of 
his absolute loneliness was resting more heavily 
upon him now that he was tired from the long ride. 

Suddenly the pony stopped and trembled vio- 
lently in every muscle. An instant later the fright- 
ened animal did its utmost to leap forward, and 
it was only by using all his strength that Reuben 
was able to restrain him. Then it was that he 
[ 143 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


glanced behind him to discover the cause of the 
terror of his horse. His own alarm was hardly 
less when not more than twenty yards behind him 
he saw the crouching figure of a mountain lion. 
The savage beast evidently was following him, oc- 
casionally seeking the shelter of some huge rock, 
or climbing among the bushes. It was unusual, 
however, for such treacherous animals to come into 
the open, as the one behind him now was doing, 
and for a moment Reuben was at a loss to account 
for the tenacity with which the powerful beast had 
been clinging to his trail. 

Instantly Reuben raised his rifle to his shoulder 
and fired. At that very moment, however, his 
pony, maddened by terror, suddenly leaped for- 
ward, and the aim of the young hunter was de- 
stroyed. It was plain an instant later that the 
savage mountain lion was unharmed. 


[ 144 ] 


CHAPTER XVI 


A MOUNTAIN LION 

R euben was aware that if he permitted his 
pony to run, the beast would instantly 
pursue him. He knew also that it would 
not be long before the mountain lion would over- 
take the fleeing pony. As long as he moved slowly, 
he had been frequently informed by his compan- 
ions, a lion, though it might creep close upon his 
trail, would not be likely to attack him. On the 
other hand, if he should show his fear by flight the 
courage of the lion instantly would be strength- 
ened and it would follow and attack any man or 
animal that fled in this way from his presence. 

The snorting and trembling of the pony he was 
riding were pitiful. The flanks of the swift little 
animal already were wet, and its eyes were rolling 
and bloodshot with terror. By a supreme effort, 
however, Reuben succeeded in bringing the pony 
to a walk, and though there were moments when 
his mount was so terrifled that it almost crouched 
upon the ground, still he was able to prevent it 
from running. It was impossible now for the boy 
[ 145 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


to reload his gun. The actions of the pony pre- 
vented him from holding his rifle sufficiently quiet 
to enable him to ram home the bullet. 

Occasionally Reuben glanced behind him, and 
he was aware that the one long leap forward which 
the mountain lion had taken when the pony had 
first darted ahead had given place to a more wary 
and careful approach. The savage beast was 
creeping along the ground. For several yards it 
would advance in this crouching manner, and then 
when Reuben looked behind him it would leap 
back into the bushes or seek the shelter of some 
huge crag. 

Reuben was carrying his rifle in his hands, ready 
to defend himself if the beast should leap upon 
the flanks of his pony. The lion was now not more 
than thirty feet behind him, and why it did not 
attack him the young trapper was at a loss to 
understand. 

Reuben glanced anxiously at the sky, and his 
fears increased when he discovered that already 
the afternoon sun was below the rim of the moun- 
tain. Darkness would soon approach and would 
come, as he was aware, after the manner of the 
sunset among the towering mountains. Usually 
there was only a brief period of twilight. The day 
abruptly ceased and night with equal abruptness 
swept over the land. Confident that his perils 
[ 146 ] 


A MOUNTAIN LION 


would be greatly increased with the coming of 
night, Reuben was at a loss how he was to prevent 
the lion from following him, until in the darkness 
in some narrow defile it would leap upon its victim. 

Again he glanced behind him at the beast, which 
now was motionless, crouched as if it had been a 
cat ready to spring upon a helpless and unsuspect- 
ing bird. A moment later, however, he saw it 
leap gracefully into the bushes and disappear from 
sight. 

The young trapper was still compelling his horse 
to walk. His arms were aching from the strain of 
the pull upon the bridle, and he was nearly as wet 
as the horse he was riding. Several times he 
glanced back, but the pursuing mountain lion was 
not to be seen. Could it be possible that the beast 
had abandoned the pursuit 

The attitude of the animal when last it had been 
seen was not such as to convince Reuben that 
there was any ground for such a hope. Suddenly 
he recalled a statement he had heard made by Kit 
Carson. One time when the young scout had 
been relating an experience which he had had with 
one of the savage mountain lions, he had told 
how the beast after following its victim for a con- 
siderable distance, sometimes disappeared within 
the forest and later was seen far in advance when 
the unsuspecting party it had been following had 
[ 147 ] 


SCOUTING WITH EIT CAKSON 

relaxed his watchfulness, believing himseK to be 
safe because the pursuit had been abandoned. 
The thought was not reassuring, and instantly 
Reuben gave rein to his sturdy little pony. 

The terror-stricken horse dashed forward. The 
ground was uneven, and several times the little 
animal nearly fell as it bounded ahead. It was a 
wild and a mad flight, and Reuben not only did 
not hold back the pony, but continually urged it to 
a swifter flight. In this way he rode forward for 
a half-mile or more until the heaving sides of his 
horse gave evidence that its strength was nearly 
exhausted. 

At the time he was entering a narrow passage 
in the valley. The light was becoming dimmer, 
but he was able to see that still about one hundred 
feet of the defile was before him. 

Soon after he had given a brief breathing spell 
to his pony he was startled when the horse sud- 
denly emitted a snort of terror and once more 
bounded forward. Glancing swiftly behind him, 
Reuben’s fears all returned when he saw approach- 
ing from among the trees on the mountainside 
the same mountain lion which had pursued him 
and whose savage attack he had hoped had been 
abandoned. 

Yelling loudly, Reuben once more urged his 
horse into its swiftest paces. There was a scream 
[ 148 ] 


A MOUNTAIN LION 

of anger from the pursuing lion, and Reuben’s 
heart almost ceased to beat when he saw that the 
animal already was leaping forward in swift pur- 
suit. 

Abandoning his grasp on the bridle, Reuben 
seized his gun by the barrel and turning partly 
around in his saddle, with his uplifted gun he 
awaited the attack. The snarling beast advanced 
until it was within a few yards of the terrified boy. 
The pony, meantime, was running swiftly, snorting 
with terror and groaning with every breath it 
drew. 

Abruptly Reuben turned still farther about in 
his seat, and yelling in his loudest tones shouted: 
‘‘Get out! Clear out! Get away from here!” 

He followed his words with a hissing sound, and 
to his delight the beast suddenly stopped, gazed 
in surprise or alarm at what he had evidently 
believed was a terrified victim, and then with long 
leaps instantly turned, bounded into the forest, 
and disappeared from sight. 

Whether or not the pursuit had been abandoned 
Reuben did not know. He quickly gave all his 
attention to the horse he was riding, and as he 
passed beyond the border of the defile and was 
unable to discover any signs of the presence of his 
recent pursuer, he decided to continue the flight 
and do his utmost to escape from the savage animal. 

[ 149 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

For ten minutes the wild flight continued, until 
the pony no longer was able to maintain its pace. 
Again and again Reuben had glanced behind him, 
but not once had he seen the mountain lion. What 
pleased him still more was the fact that in advance 
of him he saw the end of the narrow valley. Once 
there he would be able to move down upon the 
plains, and he did not believe that the hungry 
brute would dare to follow him beyond the pro- 
tection of the mountain. However, he halted 
and with trembling hands reloaded his rifle. He 
had decided that it would be safe as well as wise 
for him to take this precaution. If the beast 
should appear again he would stop his horse and 
fire at the animal. Resuming his flight, not many 
minutes had elapsed before Reuben found himself 
upon the plains. 

The night now was upon him, but the light was 
still sufficient to enable him to see, though some- 
what indistinctly, the outlines of the rocks and 
trees behind him. But the valley was no place of 
shelter, although he was aware that the Mission 
of San Gabriel was not more than seven or eight 
miles distant. 

Only a brief time had elapsed before the young 
trapper was convinced that the mountain lion had 
abandoned its pursuit and turning back had sought 
the shelter of the defiles of the mountain. 

[1501 


A MOUNTAIN LION 

Satisfied now that he had nothing more to fear, 
Reuben allowed his horse to proceed more slowly, 
though the manner in which the poor beast was 
holding its head as it advanced clearly indicated 
how nearly exhausted the pony was. 

In this manner he moved steadily forward until 
he had come near to one of the farms owned by the 
mission and cultivated by the Indians. A rude 
little house was plainly to be seen in the distance, 
but as no light was shining from its windows, the 
young trapper decided to push forward and not 
stop until he had arrived at the destination he was 
seeking. 

He had left the farmhouse far behind him and 
was moving forward over the dusty road when 
suddenly he saw before him the outlines of an 
approaching man. The man, however, was ad- 
vancing in a strange manner. He was moving 
from one side of the road to the other, and yet as 
Reuben keenly watched him he was sure that the 
stranger was not intoxicated. Why then was he 
approaching in such a strange manner He was 
carrying no burden upon his back, and both hands 
were free. 

Still keenly watching the man who was steadily 
coming nearer, Reuben suddenly was startled by 
a motion that seemed to him strangely familiar. 
It reminded him of the companion whom he had 
[ 151 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


lost among the foothills of the Rockies. But not 
a word had been heard from Jean Badeau. 

Still believing that it was impossible that any- 
thing more than a resemblance had been dis- 
covered in the man, when Reuben came close to 
him he halted his horse and peered intently into 
the face of the stranger. The face strongly re- 
sembled that of the missing French trapper. And 
yet it was so unlike his friend’s that Reuben was 
at a loss to decide whether or not his former com- 
panion was indeed now before him. 

The strangest part of all was that the man ap- 
peared to be entirely unaware of the presence of 
Reuben. He seldom glanced at him, and even 
when he did so Reuben felt a shiver creep along 
his spine, for there was something uncanny in the 
expression of the man’s face. Reuben somehow 
had a feeling that the man was not so much look- 
ing at him as looking through him. Indeed, his 
fear increased when he became aware that the man 
not only did not reply to his questions, but that he 
did not even seem to be aware of his presence. 

“ Jean, Jean ! ” called Reuben in a low voice. “ Is 
that you?” 

As no answer was given to his query, the excited 
boy in a trembling voice again said: “What are 
you doing here? How did you escape from the 
Indians?” 


[ 152 ] 


A MOUNTAIN LION 

Either ignoring or unaware of the questions 
which had been asked, the man continued his 
zigzag journey and soon passed out of the sight of 
the perplexed young trapper. 

Partly convinced that he had mistaken the 
strange man for Jean Badeau, and that it was 
impossible for his former companion to be among 
the men assembled at the San Gabriel Mission, 
Reuben quickly resumed his journey. His pony 
now was somewhat rested, and in a brief time, of 
its own accord, it broke into the swifter gait it had 
maintained most of the way since the camp of the 
trappers had been left. 

Reuben was still thinking of the two strange 
adventures which had befallen him on his ride 
when at last he drew near the walls that sur- 
rounded the old mission, and in response to his 
pull upon the bell-rope the gate was opened and 
he was admitted. 


[ 153 ] 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE COMING OF RAT 

HE man to whom Reuben was to deliver 



his message was not to be found at the 


mission . However, the tired young travel- 


ler was warmly welcomed, and soon after he had 
eaten his supper he was soundly sleeping. 

The following morning his message was de- 
livered to Captain White, who was in command of 
a schooner which had sailed from New York around 
Cape Horn. The captain read the letter which Reu- 
ben had brought, and then looking keenly into the 
face of thelad,hesaid : “ Howmany skins have they ? ” 
‘‘There are a good many,” replied Reuben, 
“but I don’t know just how many.” 

“Do you think they have got enough to fill the 
hold of the Charming Nancy ? ” 

“I’ve never seen the Charming Nancy I ” 

The captain, who was a large, good-natured 
man, laughed noisily at the response and then 
said: “I guess you’re a Yankee.^ ” 

“I am not a Yankee,” retorted Reuben. “I 
come from Pain Court.” 


[ 154 ] 


THE COMING OF RAT 

“Whew!’’ whistled the captain. “You’re a 
youngster to be so far away from home. How old 
are you?” 

“I’ll be sixteen my next birthday.” 

“Is that so? You’ll be quite an old gentleman 
soon if you don’t look out. I guess you had better 
go back and tell your boss that we can strike up 
some kind of a deal, if he doesn’t want too much 
for his furs.” 

“Shall I take that message?” 

“Yes.” 

“Aren’t you going to writer a letter? ” 

“I hadn’t thought anything about it. Can you 
write?” 

“Yes,” answered Reuben. 

“Well, then, you write the letter. I’ll tell you 
what to say.” 

Suspecting that the handwriting of the captain 
was perhaps not of the best, Reuben obtained a 
quill pen and some paper and ink and soon had 
written a letter at the dictation of the man. Just 
why he should be asked to do this he did not under- 
stand, inasmuch as it would be as easy for him to 
report what was said as it was to write out the 
direct message of Captain White. However, he 
discreetly held his peace, and the following day, 
with the letter in his pocket, set forth on his re- 
turn to camp. 


[ 155 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

In spite of his determination to be brave, Reu- 
ben’s heart was beating rapidly when once more 
he rode into the ravine where the mountain lion 
had threatened to attack him. It was speedily 
manifest also that the pony had vivid recollections 
of his experiences in the narrow valley and was 
eager to be beyond its confines. 

Without any reluctance Reuben gave the hardy 
little beast free rein and at a rapid pace rode 
through the place of peril without any mishap. 
He maintained a keen outlook on both sides of the 
gorge, but did not discover any signs of the pres- 
ence of the enemy which had so nearly attacked 
him two days before. Nor was Reuben molested 
in the remainder of his journey back to the camp. 

When he arrived he at once delivered his mes- 
sage and explained to Kit Carson and others the 
questions which Captain White had asked him. 

“We can fix this all right,” said Kit Carson 
quickly. “I think we have skins enough to fill 
the hold of the Charming Nancy so that neither 
Captain White nor her owners will have any reason 
to complain.” 

Several days elapsed, however, before the bar- 
gain was completed. In this time the scout him- 
self went to San Gabriel and had two or three 
personal interviews with the jovial sea captain. 

When Kit Carson returned, Reuben was par- 
[ 156 ] 


THE COMING OF RAT 

ticularly interested in the description he gave of an 
attack which had been made upon him by the 
mountain lion. 

‘‘ Where did you find him? ” inquired Reuben. 

‘‘Why, it was among the foothills about seven 
or eight miles this side of San Gabriel.” 

“That’s exactly where I met one. Did you kill 
it?” 

“I think so,” replied Kit Carson quietly. “The 
beast crept up behind me and I had all I could do 
to keep my pony from running away with me.” 

“That’s exactly what happened to me. I don’t 
see how you shot him.” 

“I think it must have been pure luck. I got 
the pony quiet for a minute and turned around and 
fired at the beast when it was not more than ten 
or twelve feet away. A blind man couldn’t have 
missed it.” 

Reuben had his own thoughts as to the truth- 
fulness of the modest declaration, but he did net 
give expression to them. In response to the ques- 
tions of the scout, he modestly related the incident 
which had befallen him in his own journey in the 
same region. 

“You were a lucky lad,” said Kit Carson warmly. 
“And you couldn’t have acted better if you had 
been sixty-one instead of sixteen. You never had 
seen one before, had you? ” 

[ 157 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


‘'No.” 

"I don’t understand yet why it was that you 
didn’t put your pony into a run and try to escape. 
It was lucky for you that you didn’t, for if you had 
tried it the beast would have got you as sure as 
fate.” 

“I had heard Jean tell about the lions, and all 
that he had said flashed into my mind in a minute. 
And I saw a man at San Gabriel that looked so 
much like Jean that I was almost sure that it was 
he.” 

"Are you sure that he wasn’t? ” 

"No, and that’s what puzzles me most of all. 
You see I left him the other side of the Rocky 
Mountains. It can’t be possible that he made his 
way all alone through the Rockies, and across the 
plains and over the Sierras into San Gabriel. Be- 
sides, this man looks as if he was either crazy or a 
fool. There’s something the matter with him 
anyway. He stared at me as if I was like air and 
he could look straight through me.” 

"I never met a man like that,” said Kit Carson 
quietly, smiling as he spoke. "I guess it will turn 
out all right, and, besides, you may have several 
chances to see him again in the next few days. 
We’re going to load up our ponies with the furs 
we have taken, or at least with a part of them, and 
send them down to Captain White.” 

[ 158 ] 


THE COMING OF RAT 

“What is he going to do with them? ” 

“Take them to New York for us. We shan’t 
let him have all that we have taken, but it will 
save a long hard ride if we let him have some of 
them here, and besides, I think now we shall trap 
much of the way back to Taos. By the time we 
get there we ought to have a load that will satisfy 
every man, to say nothing of our horses.” 

In the three weeks that followed, all the ponies 
of the camp were brought into service. They 
were heavily loaded with the skins that the trap- 
pers had secured and then began their long jour- 
ney to the Charming Nancy, A careful record 
was kept, and a division among the trappers of 
the amount received from the sales of furs was to 
be made later. 

Soon afterward the men returned to their camp 
and for several days were busily engaged in other 
tasks. Indeed, they were unusually successful, 
and the piles of beaver skins steadily mounted 
higher and higher. 

At last when it was decided to break camp the 
trappers delayed a day in order to make a cache, 
A long trench was made in an unusually dry bank of 
earth not far from a stream on which the men had 
been trapping A deep hole or excavation was 
made in this bank until a trench several yards wide 
and many yards long had been fashioned. All the 
[ 159 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

time the men maintained guards and also took the 
utmost pains to hide every trace of their labours 
so that none of the prowling Indians would suspect 
either the task in which they had been engaged or 
the place where the skins had been hidden. 

The turf was cut with great care and placed on 
one side of the hole. Much of the top soil then 
was placed on blankets or buffalo robes. The 
rest of the dirt which they dug while they were 
making the excavation was carried in pails by 
the men to the middle of the stream and there 
poured into the rushing waters. 

At last when the hole was as large as they de- 
sired, twigs and dry grasses were cut and with these 
the trappers carefully lined the hole which they 
had dug. After all this had been done the furs 
were tightly packed and stored in the place. Last 
of all, grass and loose skins were placed over the 
bundles of furs and pounded with the top soil, 
which had been saved and had now been brought 
back from the place in which it had been stored. 
Then all the ground was watered and the turf was 
replaced with utmost care. After the task had 
been accomplished, unless a man had been in- 
formed of the work which had been done, it would 
have been almost impossible for him to discover any 
signs about the place that the trappers had made a 
storehouse in which they had concealed their furs. 

[ 160 ] 


THE COMING OF RAT 

A little later, when the September days came, 
it was decided by the trappers that they would 
start homeward. But it was also agreed that 
they would trap throughout their journey. They 
were to escape the hardest part of the ride across 
the desert because they now planned to follow the 
Colorado River in its course until they came to the 
Gila. Then their course again was to be changed 
and they were to follow that river on their home- 
ward way. In this manner they were confident 
that they would be able to trap as they journeyed 
and, if fortune should favour them, they would add 
many skins to those which they already had taken. 

The plan was speedily approved, and as the 
men sat about the camp talking of the return 
which they were now eager to make, the proceed- 
ings were interrupted by the approach of a stranger. 

Instantly Reuben recognized him as Rat, the 
braggart whom he had last seen when he was 
among the foothills of the Rockies. 

Confidently, as if the man himself had been a 
member of the band for a long time, the stranger 
approached and said: ‘‘I want to stop with you 
over night.” 

“You’re welcome,” replied Kit Carson, never- 
theless gazing keenly at the stranger as he spoke. 

“I have taken about fifteen hundred skins,” 
said the visitor, laughing loudly as he spoke. 

[ 161 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

‘‘Where are they?” inquired the scout. 

“They are where I have hidden them so that 
neither you nor anybody else ever will find them, 
if I don’t want you to. There isn’t a man this side 
of Pain Court that can make a cache as good as the 
one I made. ” 

“You’re fortunate,” said Kit Carson quietly. 
“You’re lucky not only to have the skins, but to be 
able to hide them so that no one will ever find them. ” 

“That’s where you’re right,” laughed the stran- 
ger. “What have you done with all your skins?” 
he added as he looked about the camp. 

“We have been lucky, too,” said Kit Carson 
quietly. “Captain White of the Charming Nancy 
has shipped a lot of our furs as a part of his cargo. ” 

“ Maybe he’ll take mine, too. ” 

“It’s too late. He has sailed before now.” 

“That’s a pity,” said Rat. “I’ll have to tote 
mine clear across the desert. I think I’ll have one 
or two of your men go with me. ” 

“That cannot be done.” 

“Oh, yes, it can!” roared the man. 

“No,” replied Kit Carson, still speaking in low 
tones. “There isn’t any one of us that wants to 
go with you.” 

“What do you mean by that?” roared Rat, 
leaping to his feet as he spoke. “Do you mean to 
say my company isn’t desired?” 

[ 162 ] 


THE COMING OF RAT 

"‘That isn’t what I said.” 

“Is that what you mean?” 

“I usually mean what I say.” 

“Is that what you mean?” again thundered the 
angry giant, who acted now much as if he had 
been striving to pick a quarrel with some one. 

“I haven’t anything more to say. If you want 
to pick a fight with some one you had better go on 
to some other place. ” 

Rat now was angry and he took no pains to con- 
ceal his feelings. As yet he had not recognized 
Reuben, and the lad was too keenly excited by 
what was occurring in the camp to call the atten- 
tion of the quarrelsome man to himself. 

“I don’t have to go on. There isn’t any Ameri- 
can in this camp that I can’t switch.” 

A silence followed the speech of the boastful man 
and it was not broken until Kit Carson said quietly : 
“It’s plain you’re not an American. I am, and I 
demand that you take back what you said. ” 


[ 163 ] 


CHAPTER XVin 


A FIGHT 

I NSTANTLY a silence that was tense and could 
almost be felt fell upon the entire camp. All 
the trappers gazed in surprise first at the tall, 
awkward boaster and then at Kit Carson, who in 
comparison with the other man seemed to be little 
more than a boy in size. Brawls and quarrels 
were not uncommon among the lonely men, but 
this was the first time any one had known Kit 
Carson to join in the petty bickerings of the camp. 

Reuben, startled at first by the quiet manner in 
which his friend had spoken, now looked at him in 
alarm. It did not seem possible that so slight and 
light a man as the guide would be able to defend 
himself against the braggart, who was known as 
the bully of the West. It is true Rat had no friends 
among the trappers. Every one had looked upon 
him as one who talked much but whose deeds were 
lacking. It was commonly reported that he was 
better able to tell other men how to trap the 
beaver than he was to secure the little animals in 
his own traps. 


[ 164 ] 


A FIGHT 


To the excited Reuben the huge shoulders of the 
bully looked broader than ever he had seen them 
before. And yet for some strange reason Rat did 
not leap forward to attack Kit Carson when the 
latter in his quiet manner had demanded that he 
take back his remark that he could ‘‘switch any 
American in the camp.” 

The silence, however, was soon broken. Rat 
hesitated a moment and then, turning abruptly, 
with long strides walked to his tent. At the ac- 
tions of the bully Kit Carson also started for his 
own tent, and every man present understood at 
once what was about to occur. The two men, 
who seemed to be so unequally matched, were to 
fight, and each had gone to his tent for his wea- 
pons. This method of settling quarrels was the 
one commonly used on the border. 

With this thought in mind, every member of 
Kit Carson’s band was eager to see the coming 
contest. At once they all drew more closely to- 
gether, and although many were fearful for the life 
of their brave little leader, there was no one that 
ventured to express his opinion. 

In a few moments the swaggering Rat, holding 
his rifle in his hand, and his face fierce in its expres- 
sion of rage, rushed forward on his powerful horse. 
Almost at the same moment Kit Carson, light and 
graceful in every movement, approached on horse- 
[ 165 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


back from the opposite side of the camp. He 
carried no rifle, but from his belt there protruded 
the stock of his pistol. 

Kit Carson had always been a lover of good 
horses. Several times in the journeys along the 
streams and in the valleys of the mountains he had 
turned aside a part of a day from his regular task 
of trapping and had caught the leaders of several 
bands of wild horses. The horse upon which he 
now was mounted was one of these captives. Its 
black coat was shining in the sunlight and its ex- 
pression of intelligence almost seemed to convey 
the idea that it understood the peril of its master 
and was determined to do its utmost to aid him. 
Carson rode without any saddle. No man in all 
the camp was considered a better rider, or more 
able to compel the animal he was riding to obey his 
every word. At full gallop the young scout ad- 
vanced swiftly toward Rat, who, as has been said, 
was also mounted upon a powerful horse. 

Suddenly checking his horse as he approached 
Rat, Kit Carson in a low voice said; ‘‘Am I the man 
you are looking for.f^” 

For a moment the two men gazed steadily each 
into the face of the other, and then Rat replied, 
“No.’’ 

As he spoke, however, he lowered his rifle, and 
although his actions apparently were without any 
[1661 


A FIGHT 


design, his gun was pointed directly at the heart 
of the scout. 

But Kit Carson was not to be taken unaware. 
He had heard Rat’s declaration that he was not 
looking for trouble, but the action of the treacher- 
ous boaster when he had lowered his rifle so that 
it was aimed directly at his heart did not escape 
him. He understood fully what the plan of the 
treacherous man now was likely to be. 

Like a flash he pulled his own pistol and fired at 
his enemy. True to his aim the bullet struck the 
arm of Rat, even while his fingers were almost 
upon the trigger of his rifle. Indeed, as Kit Carson 
fired. Rat’s rifle also was discharged, but the wound 
which he had received caused his arm to turn and 
the ball which he had intended to send into the 
heart of the scout passed harmlessly above his head. 
Instantly the men of the camp ran forward and 
surrounded the two fighters. 

Kit Carson smiled quietly as he saw his friends 
approach, and then waving them back, said in a 
low voice: “I have done just exactly what I planned 
to do. I have prevented him from shooting me, 
and I think I have given him a lesson that he will 
remember for some time, and yet I have not killed 
him.” 

‘‘That’s right. Kit! That’s right!” spoke up 
Jack. “We know that you’re not quarrelsome, 
[ 167 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


and this is the first time I ever saw you draw a gun 
on a white man.” 

Meanwhile the bully, groaning loudly and hold- 
ing his wounded arm in his hand, was led from the 
spot, while two of the trappers, with water from 
the spring, washed his wound and bound up his 
hand after the fashion employed by the men of the 
frontier. In the days that followed Reuben was 
not able to induce Kit Carson to refer to the fight 
into which he had been drawn. 

Not many days elapsed, however, before Rat 
declared that he would no longer stay in the camp, 
and true to his word, he soon afterward withdrew 
from the place. Nor was he seen again until 
several months had elapsed, and then it was under 
conditions that caused every member of the band 
to remember his coming. 

“It’s time for us to be turning back,” said Kit 
Carson early one morning, not long after the con- 
test which has just been described. 

“Go back where?” inquired Reuben quickly. 
“To Pain Court?” 

“No. I don’t intend to go back there for 
years.” 

“Where are we going?” 

“To Taos.” 

“We’ll have to come back here again, ” suggested 
Reuben. “We have cached our furs.” 

[ 168 ] 


A FIGHT 


‘‘ Oh, we shall come back, ” replied Carson, smiling 
as he spoke. ‘‘Very likely we’ll be back here the 
next trapping season.” 

In accordance with the word of the leader, it was 
not long before the few wagons in which the trap- 
pers had brought their provisions, in addition to 
the supplies which had been carried on the backs 
of their ponies and mules, were loaded with the 
furs which had been secured after the cache had 
been made. Then following the course which 
already had been decided upon, the men slowly 
made their way down the Colorado, trapping as 
they went, until they at last arrived at the Gila. 
Then, turning once more in their course, they 
trapped along the banks of the latter river and 
finally, well laden with the skins they had taken, 
set forth on their journey to Taos. 

After their arrival there and in the days that 
followed, Reuben Benton made many visits with 
his friend Kit Carson among the Indians, until he, 
too, had learned much of their language and also 
had learned enough Spanish to express his wants 
in that musical tongue. He shared fully in the 
feeling of respect and love which the Indians mani- 
fested for the young scout, who now was becoming 
famous among the scattered people on the border. 
In this manner the days passed until at last the 
time had come when once more the trappers were 
[ 169 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

to return to the region from which they had re- 
cently set forth. 

As they advanced, the friendly Indians gave 
place to those who were more hostile. The fame 
of Kit Carson already had preceded their coming, 
and many of the redmen, although they hated the 
whites, nevertheless were fearful of an encounter 
with them. Indeed, the trappers were not mo- 
lested throughout their long journey, until at last 
there came a night which was long remembered 
by Reuben. 

At that time, when the trappers had gone into 
camp, they had established a guard for their horses. 
This guard was on duty throughout the hours of 
the day, being shifted several times so that no one 
man would be compelled to serve an undue length 
of time. When night drew nigh the horses were 
hobbled. Frequently, however, the fear of the 
prowling Indians caused Kit Carson to direct his 
men to tie the animals to stakes which had been 
driven into the ground. 

All these precautions, however, did not avail. 
There were times when prowling Indian bands 
stealthily crept near the camp, and while the men 
were sleeping the redskins cut the ropes by 
which the horses were fastened to the stakes and 
either led them quickly away or tried to secure 
a larger number by driving some of their own 
[ 170 ] 


A FIGHT 


horses directly through the camp, the Indians 
themselves closely following the frightened animals 
and yelling in their loudest tones. At such times 
there was danger that even the picketed horses 
would break away and join the herd that was 
rushing upon them. 

And this very event occurred on a never-to-be- 
forgotten night. Before morning dawned Car- 
son, having discovered the loss, quickly selected 
a half-dozen of his followers and upon the backs 
of the horses that were still left in the camp hastily 
followed the fleeing Indians. 

Reuben, who was permitted to follow the men, 
although his friends strongly urged him to remain 
in the camp, was soon aware that the Indians were 
well armed and were not inclined to give up the 
prizes they had taken without a struggle. 

Many of the Indians now were armed with rifles, 
and the members of the thieving band far out- 
nmnbered those of the little party that was pursu- 
ing them. Several times among the mountains 
the Indians stopped and from behind huge rocks 
fired upon the approaching white men. 

Reuben was aware soon after the party had set 
forth that the night was to be intensely cold. In- 
deed, his fingers soon were so numb that he was 
scarcely able to hold the reins of the pony he was 
riding. However, he was determined not to give 
[ 171 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

way to his suffering, and without a word of com- 
plaint steadily maintained his place in the line. 

The men were confident that the Indians were 
not far before them. Already they had had two 
brisk encounters, in which each party had fired at 
the other, but whatever the results may have been 
among the Indians, no one among the whites as 
yet had been hit. 

Kit Carson’s men were making greater haste 
than they would had they not been so eager to 
recover the horses they had lost. Because of this 
fact they had advanced boldly into a long and 
narrow valley and had not stopped to make sure 
that a part of the force they were pursuing had 
not been left at the entrance while others had gone 
in advance to draw the white men forward. 

When the angry trappers had arrived at the 
place midway in the valley, suddenly shots were 
heard not only in front of them but also from the 
rear. In an instant it was plain that an ambuscade 
had been made and the whites had been caught 
between the two lines of their foes. 

As the party still continued on its way. Kit 
Carson ordered every man to hold his fire. Sud- 
denly one of the trappers, who was riding on 
Reuben’s right, uttered a loud cry and, dropping 
his rifle as he threw up his arms, almost fell from 
the back of his horse. 


[172] 


A FIGHT 


“Go on, men!” called Kit Carson, instantly, 
while he himself dropped back to assist his com- 
panion in his peril. 

An instant later, however, a cry went up from 
all the trappers when it was seen that Kit Carson 
himself had been hit by a rifle ball and was reeling 
on the back of his pony. 


[ 173 ] 


CHAPTER XIX 


TRAPPED 


HE confusion among the trappers instantly 



was almost overwhelming. The affection 


which every member of the party had 


for the brave little scout was strong, and all the 
men were fearful now that with the fall of Kit 
Carson the destruction of the band might follow. 
There was no one to take his place as leader. 

It was the wounded leader himself, however, who 
in his quiet tones reassured his comrades as soon 
as they had carried him to a place of safety. 
“Don’t be scared,” he urged them, when they had 
placed him upon the blankets which they spread 
upon the ground. 

“Where were you hit?” inquired Reuben, his 
voice breaking as he spoke. 

“The fellow got me in the shoulder,” replied 
Kit Carson. In a moment his hunting shirt was 
torn away by his excited friends. The weather 
was intensely cold and the blood from his wound 
had quickly frozen on his clothing. 

After one or two attempts had been made to 


[ 174 ] 


TRAPPED 


lay bare the wound, the young scout, who was 
suffering intensely, said: “It will be better if 
only one of you tries to help me.” His face was 
drawn and colourless, but his courage in the midst 
of his suffering appealed so strongly to his friends 
that his directions were instantly followed. 

“Go down to the brook,” suggested Kit Carson 
to Reuben, “and bring back your cap full of water.” 

At his utmost speed Reuben ran down the 
slope of the valley to the noisy brook at its base. 
In his excitement he dashed into the stream un- 
mindful of the fact that he might obtain the water 
he desired without wetting his own clothing. 

He was still unaware, however, of his condition 
when he rushed back to the place where his friend 
was lying, and in a brief time the trapper that had 
been designated for the task was washing the 
leader’s wound. 

Once during the operation the face of the patient 
became deadly white. He did not lose conscious- 
ness, however, and although he was suffering in- 
tense pain not a murmur escaped his lips. This 
heroic endurance of suffering was one of the 
cardinal requirements of the hardy men of the 
frontier. No one was surprised at their leader’s 
power of endurance, but the fact that he still 
directed his friends in their efforts to aid him, 
sending Reuben several times to the stream for 
1175] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 
fresh supplies of water, nevertheless impressed 
them all. Throughout this time guards had taken 
their places to make sure that the horde of Indians 
did not break through and attack them again 
while they were unprepared. In a brief time it 
became manifest that the Indians were unaware of 
the damage they had wrought, for they did not 
offer to advance from the rocks behind which they 
had been concealed. 

When at last the wound had been bathed and 
bandaged as best the men were able, and a hunting 
shirt from one of the trappers had been tied about 
the shoulders of the suffering man, preparations 
for the return to camp were speedily made. 

‘‘The best thing to do is to make a litter and 
take me home on it,” said Kit Carson in a low 
voice. “Cut some poles and swing two of the 
blankets on them. I think that will be the best 
way to carry me.” 

In accordance with these directions a rough 
hammock-like litter was soon made and the 
wounded trapper was tenderly placed upon it. 
His friends gently lifted the poles to their shoulders 
and then, after advance and rear guards had been 
established for the little line, they proceeded on 
their way back to the camp. Fortunately they 
were not molested on their way. Once in the 
camp, the men no longer were afraid, and quickly 
[ 176 ] 


TRAPPED 


a bed was made for their leader upon which he 
soon was placed. 

The clean life and the strong constitution of the 
young trapper now came to his assistance. In 
spite of the fact that the wound was painful the 
precautions which his friends had taken had pre- 
vented the development of serious trouble and not 
many days had elapsed before Kit Carson declared 
that he was as well as ever. Indeed, only a few 
weeks had passed before Kit Carson’s activities 
in visiting his traps were as great as they had been 
before his unfortunate adventure with the Indians. 
It was upon one of his daily rounds, in which 
Reuben accompanied him, that the lad gained a 
fresh insight into the character of the man of 
whom now he was intensely fond. 

Meat was needed in the camp, and Kit Carson, 
whose skill as a hunter was acknowledged by all, 
promised to provide fresh game. His traps al- 
ready had been visited and much of the day’s 
work had been done when he turned to Reuben 
and said: “Lad, would you like to go with me?” 

“Where are you going?” inquired Reuben. 

“I want to get some game.” 

“Yes, I’ll have my rifle in a minute.” 

Hastening into the tent he occupied, Reuben 
soon returned with his rifle, powder-horn, and bul- 
let-pouch. Together the two men started on their 
[177] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

hunt among the mountains. They had not gone 
far before they discovered that they would be able 
to obtain as many rabbits as they might desire. 

“I want bigger game than that,” said Kit Car- 
son dryly. “ If you want to turn back you may go, 
Reuben, but I’m going on a little farther. I have 
seen some signs that make me think there are some 
elk not far away. ” 

“Have you seen their tracks.^” 

“Yes, there are some now,” replied the scout, 
pointing, as he spoke, to some spots in the ground 
before him. 

Reuben was unable to discover any resemblance 
to the track of an elk, even after he had carefully 
inspected the places indicated, but his confidence 
in his companion was supreme and he quickly said, 
“I’ll go on with you.” 

He was rejoiced when not long after the advance 
was resumed they saw near a clump of trees in 
the distance a small herd of the animals they were 
seeking. 

“The thing for us to do,” whispered Kit Carson, 
“is to try to get closer to those trees. If we once 
get under cover there I think we can bag two or 
three.” 

Cautiously and slowly the two eager hunters 
worked their way toward the trees in the distance. 
Both were aware how keenly alert the elk were and 
[ 178 ] 


TRAPPED 


how difficult it would be for the hunters to obtain 
the shelter they were seeking. Frequently the 
animals lifted their heads and gazed in their direc- 
tion. Less than a half-hour had elapsed before 
Kit Carson said abruptly in a low voice: “They 
have seen us! The only thing to do now is to try 
to bring down one of them. Be quick, Reuben!” 

Both men knelt and aimed at the animals, which 
already had turned to flee from the place where 
they were feeding. Together the reports of the 
two guns rang out and a moment later one of the 
running elk fell to the ground. 

“I missed him,” said Reuben dolefully. 

“You don’t know whether you did or not,” 
laughed Kit Carson. “Only one was hit, that’s 
plain, but whether it was by your gun or mine no 
one can say. Come on, we’ll get this one anyway.” 

Advancing rapidly, the two hunters ran toward 
the place where the body of the elk was lying. 
They had approached within a few yards of the 
body when both young hunters were startled by the 
sound of branches snapping in the bushes nearby. 
As they looked up they saw two immense grizzly 
bears advancing upon them. It was instantly 
clear that the bears were as hungry as the men and 
that they, too, had been doing their utmost to 
obtain fresh meat. Perhaps also the huge bears 
were angry that unexpected rivals had appeared 
1179 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

in the hunt. At all events, the only safety for the 
two young hunters was to seek flight instantly. 

Neither had stopped to reload his rifle, so eager 
had both been to make sure that the elk which had 
fallen was killed. 

Without a word to his companion Kit Carson 
instantly ran for a nearby tree, leaving Reuben to 
use his own devices. And Reuben was not slow in 
following the example of his friend. In spite of 
his fear he recalled the conversation which he had 
had with the scout not long before this time. Kit 
Carson at that time had declared that it was much 
better when a man was hunting for him to go alone. 
In response to the protests of Reuben he had said: 
“If two go together and something comes up that 
makes it absolutely necessary for quick action, if 
there are two hunters they will stop and talk before 
they decide what to do. The result will be not 
only that much valuable time will be lost, but the 
plan they will follow will probably be neither that 
of one nor of the other, but a sort of compromise. 
The only way is for a man not to stop to discuss 
things when he must make up his mind in a hurry. 
If he’s alone, there won’t be any trouble, and he 
will not only do what he wants to, but probably 
will do what was the best thing for him to do under 
the circumstances.” 

Recollections of this conversation were in Reu- 
[ 180 ] 


TRAPPED 


ben’s mind as he ran at his utmost speed toward a 
sapling he saw not far before him. Fortunately 
the boy was able to gain the shelter up which he 
was confident the bears would not attempt to 
climb. It is true they were able to climb almost 
any tree which a man could use, but the one in 
which Reuben had sought shelter was so small that 
he did not believe the lumbering bears would 
attempt to climb it. He was satisfied, when at 
last he rested in a crotch of the tree, that he was 
twelve feet from the ground and beyond the swing 
of the paws of the angry beasts. 

Assured of his safety, Reuben excitedly turned 
to see what had befallen his companion. His own 
gun he had dropped at the base of the tree when he 
had made his ascent. He was therefore without 
any means of defense or of aiding his comrade. 

Not far away he saw the scout just as he ar- 
rived at the base of a tree. Without hesitating a 
moment Kit Carson nimbly seized a branch and 
swung himself up into the tree, while the two 
bears — for both had started in the pursuit of the 
fleeing scout — were several yards behind him. 

Excitedly Reuben watched the grizzlies as they 
bounded forward. The steady swing from side to 
side which marked their course while they were 
running had disappeared. Reuben’s heart almost 
stopped beating while he gazed at the awkward 
[ 181 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

and yet swift animals. Would they be able to 
reach the tree before the scout could climb higher 
among the branches? Reuben speedily was aware 
that the bears had by no means abandoned the 
chase. As soon as they arrived at the base of the 
tree one of them quickly began its ascent. 

The trembling boy was able to see the scout as 
he drew his knife after he had ascended as far up 
the tree as evidently he had planned to go. Quickly 
a sturdy branch was cut and trimmed. The 
grizzly was steadily mounting, but the victim that 
he was seeking now held a stout club in his hands 
and was preparing to defend himself. 

‘‘And yet,” thought Reuben, “what can Kit 
Carson do with only a club to protect himself 
against the savage brutes?” 

The bear which had remained on the ground 
several times threatened to climb the tree after 
its companion. Apparently, however, it was satis- 
fied to leave to the other bear the task of securing 
their dinner, or else it was fearful that the tree 
would not bear the weight of both. 

At that moment the climbing bear had ap- 
proached close to the crotch in which Kit Carson 
was standing. With one arm around the branch 
the hunter leaned forward in such a way that he 
was able to lift his club and look directly down into 
the face of the savage animal. Suddenly drawing 
[ 182 ] 



“The trembling boy was able to see the scout 
as he drew his knife” 


4 b 




TRAPPED 


back with all his force Kit Carson brought his 
club down directly upon the nose of the grizzly. 

The hunter was aware of the fact that there is 
no part of the body of the grizzly bear quite as 
tender as its nose. Reuben laughed excitedly 
when a roar of pain came from the animal as soon 
as the blow had been struck, and he saw the brute 
slowly make its way backward down the tree, 
shaking its head and occasionally roaring with 
pain in the descent. 

When the bear at last had regained the ground, 
as if by a mutual understanding, the second bear 
at once began to climb the tree. Kit Carson 
meanwhile had obtained shelter in a crotch some- 
what lower than the one in which he had first stood. 
In the place he now occupied he was able to obtain 
a greater sweep for his club, while his foothold 
was equally safe. 

Rapidly the climbing bear eame to the place 
where the hunter was waiting. Again Kit Carson 
drew back his club and with the fuller sweep which 
now he was able to obtain he dealt a still more 
savage blow directly upon the nose of the approach- 
ing bear. 

Again there was a roar of mingled pain and rage, 
and the grizzly, like its companion, quickly decided 
to retreat. As soon as the lumbering animal, 
still roaring with pain and shaking its head, re- 
1183] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

gained the ground at the base of the tree, its com- 
panion, having somewhat recovered from the 
results of its former attempt, once more began to 
climb. 

But Kit Carson, now more confident, met the 
ascending bear with a second resounding blow upon 
its nose. Evidently the spot was somewhat ten- 
der, for the grizzly emitted a loud roar of pain and 
with still greater haste started to the ground. 

Once more the second bear attempted the as- 
cent, but the result which had followed its former 
efforts speedily compelled the attack to be aban- 
doned. Both bears now were steadily shaking 
their heads, growling and in pain, and yet neither 
apparently was inclined to withdraw from the spot 
where they had trapped the scout. 


[ 184 ] 


CHAPTER XX 


WILD HORSES 


PARENTLY the two grizzlies were con- 



fident that they would be able to wait as 


^ long as the man whom they had compelled 
to seek refuge in the tree. The slow minutes 
passed, and even Reuben, who was watching from 
the distance and as yet had not been discovered 
by the bears, was becoming cramped and impatient. 
He was not willing to call to his friend, for he 
dared not do anything to attract the attention of 
his enemies. He was well assured that he would 
not be able to drive them away as successfully as 
had Kit Carson by wielding a club. 

At last when what Reuben was convinced was 
at least two hours had passed, apparently the 
two bears decided to abandon their vigil. Ap- 
parently, too, they did this not because they were 
discouraged, but because their feeling of hunger 
drew them in another direction. With the strange 
lope or rolling motion with which bears run, both 
grizzlies advanced to the place where the elk which 
Kit Carson had shot was lying. This was not far 


[ 185 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

distant from the trees in which the young trappers 
were hiding, and in a brief time the sounds of the 
repast were distinctly heard. Snarls and occasional 
growls were frequent. Once one of the bears rose 
to a sitting posture and viciously struck his compan- 
ion on the head with his paw. The action apparently 
did not arouse the anger of the second bear, who was 
thoroughly busy in his task of devouring the body 
of the slain elk. 

Would the animals never eat their fill.^ Reuben, 
cramped and with every nerve tingling, had 
watched the savage beasts, hoping that they soon 
would be satisfied and then would depart from the 
region. 

At last, when the grizzlies had devoured most 
of the body, apparently satisfied with their repast, 
they both turned and for a moment threatened to 
come back to the place where they had tried to 
climb the tree in which the young scout had found 
refuge. 

Apparently, however, recollections of their ex- 
periences at the hands of the fearless young hunter 
were still vivid. Abruptly they turned away, and, 
swinging and swaying, made their way toward the 
mountains and soon disappeared from sight. 

With the departure of the bears Reuben was 
confident that he and his friend might safely 
leave their places of refuge. As Reuben started 
[ 186 ] 


WILD HORSES 


to descend the tree he was startled by a call from 
his comrade. 

‘‘Don’t do that, lad!” 

“But they have gone,” protested Reuben. 

“You can’t trust them. No one knows how 
far away they are. They may simply be waiting 
for us.” 

“But I’m all cramped, I have been here so long. 
It doesn’t seem to me I can stay much longer.” 

“Oh, yes, you can,” called Kit Carson encour- 
agingly. “We can stay here all night, if we have 
to.” 

It was late in the afternoon when at last a low 
call from Kit Carson caused Reuben to descend 
the tree. His muscles were so stiff from remaining 
such a long time in his cramped position that it 
was with difficulty that he was able to walk. His 
friend stopped for a moment as soon as he drew 
near and showed Reuben how he stretched his own 
weary muscles and exercised his arms which were 
almost numb. 

“Do you think the bears have gone for good and 
all.^” inquired Reuben. 

“I think so. You had better load your rifle, 
though I don’t know that it would do you very 
much good. I have known a grizzly to be shot 
in the head, and, as far as one could see, pay about 
as much attention to the bullet as he would to a 
[ 187 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


pebble. They must have heads that are mighty 
strong and thick. However,” he continued, “see 
that your rifle is all ready and weTl start.” 

Ca.utiously the two trappers made their way 
from the place where both had been so nearly 
caught, and after a quarter of an hour had elapsed 
Kit Carson declared that the bears must have 
gone in the opposite direction from the one which 
they were following and were no longer to be feared. 
Somewhat assured by his companion’s confidence, 
Reuben nevertheless kept a careful watch as with 
his friend he advanced through the valley. 

The young hunter was greatly surprised when 
they came near to the end of the valley to dis- 
cover a small Indian village before them. He had 
been unaware of the presence of the redmen and 
now that he saw this camp his fears returned. 

“ Come on, lad. Don’t be afraid,” said Kit Carson 
quietly. “I have been here a great many times.” 

“You have.^ ” exclaimed Reuben. “ I didn’t know 
there was an Indian camp within ten miles of ours.” 

“Well, you see there is,” replied the scout dryly. 

“How long has it been here.^ ” 

“A year or more.” 

“How do you know.^” 

“I told you I have been over here a good many 
times and I know all about it. I have talked with 
some of the braves and they think I’m almost 
[ 188 ] 


WILD HORSES 


fit to be received into the tribe.” Kit Carson 
spoke quietly, and yet there was a tone in his voice 
that caused Reuben to glance sharply at him. 
There was no change, however, in the expression 
of the face of the scout, and as apparently he did 
not wish to continue the conversation the subject 
was dropped. 

Not long afterward, however, both trappers 
were welcomed into the Indian village. The sus- 
picion which possessed Reuben he was not able 
entirely to conceal. Even the dogs that came 
sniffing about his feet seemed to be treacherous. 
Few words were spoken to him, although his com- 
panion was cordially received and the statement 
which he had recently made to Reuben was mani- 
festly confirmed. The Indians all looked upon 
him as a friend, and in the spirit of friendship bade 
him and his companion welcome. 

Reuben, who was eager to be back in camp, found 
it difficult to understand why Kit Carson insisted 
upon remaining longer in the village. Indeed, 
an hour elapsed before he gave the word and the 
journey was resumed. 

‘T’m going to marry the daughter of the chief,” 
said Kit Carson, speaking almost as if he were 
referring to some ordinary occurrence. 

“What!” exclaimed Reuben, as he spoke gazing 
in amazement at his companion. 

[ 189 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

‘‘That’s just what I’m going to do,” said Kit 
Carson, smiling slightly at the astonishment of his 
friend. 

“But I don’t see ” began Reuben. 

“No, you don’t see, but I do, and that’s enough.” 

“Well, you’re the one to be pleased,” said 
Reuben. “I wish you much joy.” 

“Thank you,” replied the scout, laughing quietly. 
“I reckon some of my friends back at Pain Court 
would think I was out of my head to marry an 
Indian squaw. From the expression on your face, 
Reuben, I can see that you, too, have something of 
the same idea in your mind.” 

Reuben did not respond, and for a time the two 
men continued in silence. 

“I have known that little Indian girl,” explained 
Kit Carson, after a long silence, “more than a year. 
She is as pretty as a picture and as good as she is 
pretty. It was a long time before the old chief 
would give her to me, but to-night he told me that 
he had decided that if I wanted her for my wife 
and would promise that she might stay in the vil- 
lage while I was trapping he would not oppose me 
any longer. And he doesn’t like the white men, 
either,” he added with a laugh. 

“How is it that he is willing for you to have her, 
then, if he doesn’t like the whites?” 

“Oh, he has a notion,” replied Kit Carson sim- 
[ 190 ] 


WILD HORSES 


ply, “that he can trust me. He says if I say I 
will do a thing I don’t try to lie out of it.” 

“He’s right about that,” said Reuben warmly. 
“That’s just the way everybody that knows you 
feels.” 

“Thank you.” There was a tender expression 
in the eyes of the young scout that prevented 
Reuben from making any further protest against 
the action of his friend. 

“I am going to take you with me to-morrow into 
the village and let you see how they treat me. 
Just now, however, Reuben, I would rather you 
would not say anything about what I have just 
told you.” 

Abruptly both men stopped, and in a low voice 
Reuben said: “What is that.^ It sounds like 
thunder.” 

“It is a drove of wild horses,” answered Kit 
Carson quickly. “Come with me and we’ll see 
what they are.” 

The sun was now about a half-hour above the 
horizon. In the soft light of the closing day the 
sound of the approaching body was almost weird. 
The band of wild horses was steadily drawing 
nearer the place where the two scouts had con- 
cealed themselves. The wind was blowing toward 
them, or otherwise the horses would not have ap- 
proached the spot. They were almost as keen in 
[ 191 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

their ability to detect by their sense of smell the 
presence of an enemy as were the prowling beasts. 

In a brief time the drove came within sight. At 
the head was the leader, a powerful and beautiful 
creature, running easily, his head carried high and 
his pride showing in his every movement. 

“Did you ever see such a tail on a horse.^” ex- 
claimed Kit Carson in a low voice. “Look at it — 
it sweeps the ground ! Do you know, I believe ITl 
get that fellow. If there is anything I am fond of 
it’s a good horse.” 

The scout’s fondness for fleet-footed ponies was 
well known by his friends. Not a man in the camp 
was his equal as a rider. He seldom used a saddle, 
and whatever the motion of the animal he was 
riding might be. Kit Carson bestrode it almost as 
if they were parts of the same being. 

Reuben, whose heart was beating wildly as he 
saw the drove approach, said in a whisper: “How 
will you get him?” 

“We’ll fix that up to-morrow. We’ll see to- 
night where they go. ” 

The approaching horses soon swept past the hid- 
ing-place of the two trappers, and turning abruptly 
disappeared from sight at the entrance to one of 
the valleys. 

“They will stay there all night, ” said Kit Carson 
quickly. “ Come on now,lad, we’ll go back to camp.” 

[ 192 ] 


WILD HORSES 


“What makes you think they will stay all night? 
They may leave before morning. ” 

Kit Carson smiled and shook his head, but made 
no further response, and in a brief time, delaying 
only until they had secured a few rabbits and a 
deer which they chanced to see, soon rejoined their 
companions. 

For some reason Kit Carson was silent concern- 
ing their visit at the Indian village, and Reuben 
himself naturally did not refer to it. The leader, 
however, made much of the drove of wild horses, 
and it was plain that the young scout’s enthusiasm 
increased as he described the strength and beauty 
of the black pony at its head. 

“I must have him,” he said. 

“That’s easy to say,” suggested one of the men. 
“I have heard others talk the same way, but when 
you run down a pony like that you’ll have your 
work cut out for you.” 

“But I’m going to get him,” said Kit confidently. 
“And I’ll tell you how.” 

In a low voice he explained to his companions 
the plan which he had formed for catching the 
black leader. Every man in the camp was inter- 
ested, but when at last they sought their tents it 
had been decided that only Reuben and two others 
were to share in the attempt. 


[ 193 ] 


CHAPTER XXI 


THE CHASE OF THE LEADER 

before daylight the following morning 



Kit Carson and his three companions 


M ^ mounted their horses and departed from 
the camp. 

The plan which had been agreed upon was for 
Kit Carson himself to go into the valley into which 
the drove of wild horses had disappeared and 
await their return to the plains. It was confidently 
believed that the horses would leave their place of 
shelter about sunrise or a little before. The three 
companions of the scout had been stationed at 
intervals of two or three miles among the foothills 
in places where they would be concealed from the 
sight of any passerby. It also was planned that 
the scout, if it was possible, was to separate the 
leader from the other horses in the drove and to 
chase him at his highest speed. If it was in his 
power to do so, the scout expected to turn the 
black leader toward the south, where Reuben and 
Jack were to be ready to take up the pursuit as 
soon as Kit Carson drew near their hiding-place. 


[ 194 ] 


THE CHASE OF THE LEADER 

w 

In this manner it was believed that however swift 
the paces of the leader might be he would be soon 
worn out by the swiftness of the pursuit of the 
three horses, every one of which was fresh at the 
beginning of his part of the chase. 

Never before had Reuben seen Kit Carson so 
eager to secure one of the wild ponies. Fre- 
quently the men in the camp had caught and 
broken horses, which they had taken on the plains. 
Indeed, almost every horse in their possession now 
was one that had been captured and broken and 
trained to service by the trappers. Several times 
men had secured these horses by firing at them, 
stunning the animals without injuring them. 
However, only the most expert shots were able to 
do this, and even with them the danger of killing 
or harming the horses they were chasing was so 
great that the plan was seldom tried. 

In the present case long ropes of a lariat or noose 
were hanging from the horn of Kit Carson’s saddle. 
It was not often that the fearless scout deigned to 
use a saddle, as we know, but in this case, as he 
needed his rope and at the same time was aware 
that occasions for the use of his gun might arise, he 
consented to use a light saddle. 

“Now, then, every man look sharp!” he said in 
a low voice, as he parted from his companions. 
“One of you go to the north and the other two to 
[ 195 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


the south. Be sure to hide in places where you can 
take up the chase without having to climb very 
much. The most important thing, however, is to 
find some rock or hill behind which you will not be 
seen, for this leader, unless I am much mistaken, 
will be off like a shot the minute he sights you, 
and you’ll need to be fresh to keep close to him in 
the chase.” 

The directions of the scout were carefully fol- 
lowed, and Reuben secured a place behind a rocky 
barrier near the border of the foothills. His com- 
panion proceeded two or three miles farther before 
he, too, concealed himself. By the time each of the 
trappers had found his hiding-place. Kit Carson 
had disappeared from sight. Cautiously the scout 
made his way up the narrow valley or gorge in which 
the wild horses had sought refuge for the night. 

The sun had not yet risen above the eastern 
horizon, but the light of the coming day was already 
beginning to appear. This hour was selected be- 
cause, as has been stated, it was believed by the 
trappers that the horses would leave their shelter 
among the hills at the approach of day. 

Reuben, who had dismounted and thrown the 
bridle over the head of his horse, an act which as 
effectually prevented his horse from leaving as if 
he had been tied to a post, impatiently awaited the 
coming of the day. 


[ 196 ] 


THE CHASE OF THE LEADER 

He now was almost as eager as his friend to se- 
cure the wonderful leader of the drove of wild 
horses. The shining coat and the proud air of the 
black horse had marked the animal as one not only 
of unusual beauty, but of marked speed and power 
as well. In his mind Reuben again saw the arched 
neck, the long sweeping tail, the high step, and the 
pride of the animal as in response to his call the 
twenty-five or more horses followed his lead. 
Surely he was worthy of all that the effort to catch 
him might cost. 

The horses which the trappers had selected for 
the chase were all fleet, but as Reuben glanced at 
his own beast he smiled as he thought of the possi- 
bility of the black leader being overtaken by such 
an animal. To divide the pursuit into relays was 
the only feasible plan. And his own part, pro- 
vided the wild leader turned southward, would not 
be slight. There was, however, the possibility 
that instead of turning either northward or to the 
south the black leader might move directly toward 
the east. In that event pursuit would be well-nigh 
hopeless. There were no horses in the possession 
of the trappers that would be able to overtake the 
fleet-footed leader in a straight chase across the 
plains. 

A half-hour slowly passed and still no signs of 
Kit Carson or of the wild horses had been seen. 

[ 197 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

A second half-hour passed and still the silence was 
unbroken. The sun was now well above the hori- 
zon and the peaks of the mountains were capped 
with light. Indeed, the glory of the coming day 
was already reflected from the snowclad mountain 
peaks, from the occasional little lakes on the moun- 
tainside, and from the crags and rocks that were to 
be seen in whichever direction Reuben looked. 
The air, too, was marvellous, and Reuben said to 
himself that, as he breathed it, it almost seemed to 
him as if he could bite it, it was so strong and 
bracing. 

The young trapper was becoming impatient. He 
was almost convinced that Kit Carson had failed 
to discover the hiding-place of the wild horses. 
If that were true, it was strange that the scout did 
not return. Reuben smiled, however, as he re- 
called the fact that when Kit Carson had decided 
to follow any line of action it was almost impossible 
to divert him from his purpose. Quiet the scout 
always was, but it was the quiet of confidence and 
strength. 

Suddenly Reuben darted forward and seized 
the bridle rein of his waiting horse. At the same 
time he was peering eagerly toward the outlet of the 
valley into which Kit Carson had entered not long 
before. A moment later the young trapper was 
convinced that his surmise was correct. Forth 
[ 198 ] 


THE CHASE OF THE LEADER 

from among the rocks suddenly the black leader 
appeared, running swiftly and yet lightly. In- 
deed, it almost seemed to Reuben as if the feet of 
the animal scarcely touched the ground, so lightly 
did he step. What pride and confidence, too, were 
in his very air. Occasionally he glanced behind, 
snorting with anger, but his swift pace was un- 
broken. Behind him came the other horses of the 
drove, the colts running in the centre, protected 
by the others. The presence of the colts prevented 
the leader from increasing the speed at which they 
were moving. 

Not long after the appearance of the wild horses 
Reuben discovered Kit Carson. The scout was 
riding at the pace which the leader had first taken, 
and it was quickly plain that he could increase his 
speed at any moment. Several times the black 
leader halted and turned as if he almost had de- 
cided to stop and give battle. Each time, how- 
ever, apparently he thought better of the project 
and returned to his place at the head of the drove. 

For a mile or more the flight and the pursuit 
continued. Kit Carson not gaining, or even ap- 
parently attempting to gain, upon the horse he 
was so eager to secure. The scout, however, had 
outflanked the wild ponies and had succeeded after 
a time in turning their flight southward. 

Assured now that the chase would lead directly 
[ 199 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

to the place where he was waiting, and that he 
was almost certain to have a share in the exciting 
pursuit, Reuben drew his horse a little closer to 
the rock and in such a manner that he would be 
able to peer around its edge and watch the events 
that were occurring not far away. 

Try as he might Kit Carson had been unable 
entirely to separate the black leader from his com- 
panions. Several times the wild horse had circled 
the body without permitting them to lessen the 
speed at which they were running. In this man- 
ner apparently he had satisfied himself that the 
pace he had set was not too swift for the colts. 

On every such occasion the leader had stopped 
behind the running drove, watching the man ap- 
proaching on horseback. Evidently he was sus- 
picious of the danger that was threatening him, 
as indeed he well might be. Had he ever before 
been chased by the white men? The question 
was in Reuben’s mind, as he watched the actions 
of the departing animal, and the young trapper 
was convinced that the horse never had been in 
captivity. His spirits were not broken and his 
confidence in his own ability apparently was su- 
preme. 

When the chase had led two or three miles be- 
yond the entrance to the valley. Kit Carson suc- 
ceeded in turning the flight of the horses he was 
[ 200 ] 


THE CHASE OF THE LEADER 

pursuing. Shouting and brandishing his gun, he 
rode directly toward the band, and in a moment the 
leader had changed the course and swung south- 
ward. 

Kit Carson still remained upon the outer flank 
and once he discharged his rifle, an act which, as 
Reuben believed, was intended only to frighten 
the horses. If that had been the hunter’s purpose 
it was easily achieved, for the speed at which the 
drove was running quickly increased. At the 
same time it was equally clear to the leader that 
he had been unable to shake off the enemy that 
was pursuing him. 

Shouting still more loudly and persistently in- 
creasing the swiftness of his pursuit. Kit Carson 
succeeded in steadily pressing the horses to his 
right and at the same time compelling them to 
move much more rapidly. 

Reuben’s excitement increased as the band 
steadily drew nearer the place where he was await- 
ing their approach. As yet Kit Carson had not 
succeeded in separating the black horse from his 
companions. It was not until the hunter drew 
near the place where Reuben was hiding that he 
suddenly, with a renewed shout and a second dis- 
charge of his gun, dashed swiftly in between the 
leader and the drove. Again shouting in his loudest 
tones, he forced the startled animal southward and 
[ 201 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

at the same time glanced all about him, evidently 
expecting Reuben to appear. 

Only a few moments elapsed before Reuben 
decided that the time had come for him to join 
in the chase. He dashed forth from behind the 
sheltering rock and, urging his horse into its swift- 
est paces, took up the chase as Kit Carson dropped 
behind. 


[£ 02 ] 


CHAPTER XXII 


A WHITE MAN IN THE INDIAN VILLAGE 

REUBEN dashed forward he speedily 



discovered that swift as was the pony he 


was riding it was unable to overtake the 


wild leader he was following. Indeed, in a brief 
time it became plain to the young trapper that his 
own horse was steadily dropping behind. 

Aware, however, of the plan which was in the 
mind of Kit Carson for chasing the horse they 
were all so desirous of securing, he sturdily con- 
tinued his efforts, all the time urging his horse to 
still greater endeavours. It seemed to Reuben 
that never before had he ridden so swiftly. The 
air appeared to strike him in the face, the hoofs 
of his flying animal barely touching the sand. 
And yet every time he glanced ahead he saw the 
black horse running easily, his neck arched and 
his head held high, the long tail sweeping the 
ground at every leap. 

What a magniflcent animal the leader of the 
drove was! And how easily he maintained his 
lead! Frequently the horse stopped and seemed 


[ 203 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 


almost to be tempted to turn and dash past its 
pursuer and rejoin his companions that had started 
toward a valley several miles distant. 

And the hopeless part of his task was, as Reuben 
soon discovered, that the animal he was following 
did not seem to be tiring. It still ran easily when 
two miles or more had been covered by the pony 
which Reuben was riding. Jack could not be far 
away now, Reuben thought, and he began to 
peer anxiously ahead of him for the coming of his 
ally. 

For some strange reason the black leader did 
not turn toward the plains. He was running 
nearer the hills than was Reuben’s mount, hold- 
ing to his course, doubtless from the very fact 
that his pursuer was coming from the same direc- 
tion. 

On and still on fled the pursuer and the pursued. 
In spite of all his efforts, Reuben steadily dropped 
behind until, as he estimated the distance, there 
was at least one hundred yards between him and 
the pony he was so desirous of capturing. 

Again Reuben rose in his stirrups and shouting 
into the ears of his horse urged it to still greater 
efforts; and the pony responded nobly. Its sides 
were heaving now and a sound very like a groan 
came with every breath. He could see by an 
occasional glance that the nostrils of his pony were 
[ 204 ] 


A WHITE MAN IN THE INDIAN VILLAGE 

red and dilated. There was no time for mercy, 
however, and with every forward leap now Reuben 
shouted into the ears of his horse. 

He was wondering why Jack did not appear. 
He was confident that he had passed more than 
the number of miles that had been assigned to 
him in the race, but his friend still was nowhere 
within sight. 

In a brief time, however, riding forth from be- 
hind one of the foothills. Jack suddenly appeared. 
And it was high time for his aid to be given. The 
poor beast upon which Reuben was mounted was 
now trembling in every muscle and its strength 
was so nearly gone that when Reuben halted it was 
barely able to stand. 

Hastily dismounting, as soon as the young trap- 
per was aware that the chase was to be taken up 
by his friend, Reuben patted the neck of his pony 
and in low tones spoke soothingly to it. The poor 
animal was standing with lowered head and with 
an air of such complete dejection as Reuben thought 
he never before had seen displayed by any living 
animal. 

His meditations, however, were interrupted by 
the report of a gun in the distance and the faint 
sound of a shout that came across the sands. 
Glancing hastily in the direction from which the 
hail had come, Reuben saw that soon after his 
[ 205 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

friend had appeared to join in the chase the black 
horse had swerved in his course and instead of 
continuing on his way had turned backward and 
now was directly approaching the place where 
Reuben was standing. 

And still the horse was running easily and ap- 
parently without fatigue. To overtake him seemed 
almost a hopeless undertaking. Again Reuben 
assured himself that never before had he seen such 
strength combined with swiftness and grace. 

Aware, however, that he must do something now 
to help, Reuben leaped upon the back of his tired 
horse and urged it once more to join in the pursuit. 
A challenging neigh now came from the swiftly 
running black horse, and almost as if he ignored the 
puny efforts of his foes to overtake him, the course 
he was following again was changed and with a sud- 
den burst of speed the animal, like a thunder-bolt, 
dashed past the place where Reu,ben was standing. 

The young trapper now joined in the shouts and 
he, too, discharged his gun as a warning to Kit 
Carson, who was doubtless waiting at the place 
where he had abandoned the chase. The efforts, 
however, were useless, as in a brief time once more, 
swiftly swerving to his left, the black horse dashed 
into what at first seemed to Reuben to be an un- 
broken mass of rocks. In an instant the animal 
had disappeared from sight. 

[ 206 ] 


A WHITE MAN IN THE INDIAN VILLAGE 

As rapidly as his horse was able to bear him, 
Reuben rode to the place where the leader had so 
strangely disappeared. As he came near he dis- 
covered a narrow opening or gorge apparently 
caused by some great crack in the formations cen- 
turies before. As Reuben entered the narrow 
place he saw eight or ten feet below him a stretch 
of more level land, though it was dotted here and 
there with stones and boulders. 

It seemed impossible to the young scout that 
a horse could have leaped to the ground below. 
However, at that moment he heard the sound of a 
defiant neigh and in a brief time was able to dis- 
cern the outline of the form of the black horse 
speeding along a narrow trail which was at least 
twenty-five feet above the plain on which he was 
riding. 

It was plain that the horse was familiar with 
every foot of the region. Along this narrow ledge 
the black horse now was running with confidence 
unbroken, although the pathway was not more than 
a yard wide. Indeed in several places it seemed to 
the astonished Reuben that the width was still 
less. 

Every moment he expected to see the black 
pony lose his foothold and fall to the rock-covered 
ground below him. His expectations, however, were 
not fulfilled, for the sure-footed animal, scarcely 
[ 207 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

pausing in his flight, steadily continued on his way. 
At one place Reuben saw him leap across a narrow 
ravine and without any slip regain his footing on 
the opposite side. Although the young trapper’s 
admiration of the horse increased, he was now well- 
nigh hopeless that the animal ever could be taken. 

Indeed it was not long before the horse disap- 
peared from sight, and Reuben was unable to de- 
termine which of the numerous gorges he had 
entered, as several converged at the point where 
the black leader was lost to sight. 

It was impossible for Reuben’s horse to attempt 
to follow. Not only was the leap from the rock 
one which few animals would be able to make with 
safety, but also the nearly exhausted condition of 
his mount made such an attempt worse than reck- 
less. There was nothing to be done except to re- 
turn and join his companions. 

‘‘Did you get him, Reuben?” inquired Kit Car- 
son dryly, as the young trapper, discovering his 
friend, rode slowly to meet him. 

“No, I didn’t,” said Reuben glumly. 

“ I’m surprised. Still, when we have him broken, 
I think you’ll enjoy a spin on that black demon as 
much as any of us.” 

“If you ever take him,” suggested Reuben 
dryly. 

“Why,” said Kit Carson in apparent surprise, 
[ 208 ] 


A WHITE MAN IN THE INDIAN VILLAGE 

‘‘you haven’t any question about that, have you? 
Of course we’re going to take him.” 

“Not to-day,” suggested Reuben. 

“No, not to-day,” acknowledged the scout; 
“but there are other days to come.” 

“Do you believe that that black leader, after 
to-day’s chase, will stay around this part of the 
country any longer? He will take his followers 
and start for some other part of the mountains.” 

“Perhaps he will,” acknowledged Kit Carson, 
“but before that time comes we’ll have another 
chance at him. ” 

“You never can take him,” asserted Reuben. 
“I never in my life saw anything run the way that 
pony did. And it doesn’t make any difference 
whether he’s running on the plains or along a 
ledge of the rocks. Why, he followed a narrow 
little ledge for three hundred yards. I expected 
every minute to see him tumble into the bed of 
the stream that was twenty-five or thirty feet be- 
low him. As far as I could see he didn’t slip once.” 

“Oh, yes, he’s a wonderful animal,” said Kit 
Carson quietly, “ and we shall appreciate him all the 
more after we have had a chance to break him in.” 

“You won’t break him in very soon,” said Reu- 
ben, shaking his head. “You stand just about as 
much chance of getting that black horse as you do 
of grabbing a streak of lightning by its tail.” 

[ 209 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


Kit Carson smiled and made no response to the 
assertion of his young companion, and then at his 
suggestion they all started on their way back to 
camp. 

In silence the men advanced, and when two hours 
had elapsed. Kit Carson suggested: ‘‘I think I’ll 
go over to the Indian village. Do you want to 
come, Reuben?” 

The lad hesitated a moment and then said, ‘‘I’m 
hungry.” 

“Come along with me ana the squaws will feed 
you. And Jack, too, if he wants to come,” added 
the scout amiably. Jack, however, insisted upon 
returning to his companions and rode away alone 
as Kit Carson and Reuben started toward the 
Indian village. 

It was not long before they found themselves in 
the little settlement, where the words of the scout 
were confirmed, for food was soon provided for 
the hungry hunters, and, as Kit Carson had said, 
the squaws seemed to vie with one another in their 
efforts to please their white visitors. 

Soon after Reuben had finished his repast he was 
startled by the sight of an approaching white man. 
To all appearances the man belonged to the village. 
He was, however, neither dressed as were the In- 
dians nor did his appearance suggest that he was a 
newcomer or a stranger in the midst of the red- 
[ 210 ] 


A WHITE MAN IN THE INDIAN VILLAGE 

men. Reuben’s surprise, however, was caused by 
his conviction that the man before him was the 
same one he had seen at San Gabriel, and if he was 
not the missing Jean, at least he so strongly re- 
sembled him that a stranger might take one for the 
other. 

“Look at that man,” said Reuben in a low voice 
as he turned to Kit Carson. “Do you know who 
he is.^ He looks to me like Jean Badeau.” 

In response to the suggestion of his young friend 
Kit Carson glanced hastily at the man to whom 
Reuben had referred and then said, “ Are you sure.^ ” 
As he spoke the scout glanced at the young trapper, 
but he quickly was aware that Reuben had not 
heard his question. He was staring blankly at 
the white man. 


[ 211 ] 


CHAPTER XXIII 


BAFFLED 

I N HIS excitement Reuben, almost unmindful 
of his companion, started at once toward the 
place where the man whom he believed to be 
Jean Badeau was standing. As he approached he 
was speedily aware that if the man before him was 
his lost friend there was no evidence of recognition 
of that fact in the expression of his face. Indeed 
the man scarcely seemed to be aware of the coming 
of the young trapper. 

Puzzled and slightly alarmed by the strange 
appearance of the man, Reuben stopped a moment 
and then said: “Who are you? What is your 
name?” 

To the lad’s amazement the man to whom he 
had spoken gazed into his face and smiled in a 
manner that was like that of a little child. He did 
not speak, however, and for a brief time the two 
men stood and looked, each into the face of the 
other. 

“What is your name?” again demanded Reuben. 
Once more the bland expression appeared on the 
[ 212 ] 


BAFFLED 


face of the stranger, but no reply was given to the 
query. 

‘‘Are you Jean Badeau.^^” demanded Reuben 
sharply. 

Again the smile was seen, but still there was no 
answer. 

Reuben was almost persuaded that the man be- 
fore him was indeed his lost companion, but the 
expression in his eyes and the childlike smile on his 
face certainly were not characteristics of the miss- 
ing French trapper. He was a man strong and of 
slow speech, even when he spoke, as he did only on 
rare occasions. Unlike most of his race in the 
North, apparently he did not show any signs of 
the impulsive temperament which many of the 
early French possessed. Now the lad felt that his 
flesh was creeping. There was something in the 
uncanny bearing and expression of the man, who, 
if he was not the trapper, Jean Badeau, at least 
strongly resembled Reuben’s former comrade. 

“Lad, don’t you know.^^” 

Reuben turned quickly at the unexpected ques- 
tion and saw that Kit Carson was beside him. 
“Don’t you know,” repeated the leader, “that 
this man is crazy?” 

“No, I didn’t know anything about him. He 
looks so much like Jean Badeau that I was sure at 
first that it was my friend.” 

[ 213 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


“It may be and it may not be.” 

“What do you mean.f^” 

“What I mean is this: this man is the same one 
we found at San Gabriel. Somehow he made his 
way to the North and the Indians have taken him 
into their village. ” 

“Why did they do that.^” inquired Reuben. 

“The Indians are always good to crazy people. 
They think they are under the special guidance 
and protection of the Great Spirit. Perhaps they 
are. I don’t know,” said Kit Carson, thought- 
fully. “Certainly they act as if there was some- 
thing in their life different from what we see among 
the trappers. ” 

“That’s so,” said Reuben in a low voice, as he 
again looked keenly at the subject of their conver- 
sation, who, apparently unmindful of the atten- 
tion he had aroused, had now turned away. In 
a low voice he was speaking to himself and appar- 
ently was unmindful of the presence of any one 
near. 

“That may be Jean Badeau,” again suggested 
Kit Carson. “If it is he has a long and strange 
story to tell. ” 

“What do you suppose happened to him?” 

“I haven’t the remotest idea. Of course, I am 
not even sure that he is your friend, nor are you 
positive that he is, but I am willing to take your 
[ 214 ] 


BAFFLED 


word for it. No one in the tribe here knows where 
he came from nor what made him crazy.” 

“What do you think did.^” 

“As I told you, I have no idea, and I am not even 
sure that it is your friend. All I am saying is that 
he may be and that something may have hap- 
pened after you left him that brought this trouble 
upon him.” Reuben was silent throughout the 
remainder of their stay in the village and indeed 
seldom spoke when they rode back to the camp of 
the trappers. 

Early the following morning Kit Carson ap- 
peared and at his suggestion Reuben accompanied 
him in the round of his traps. An unusually good 
catch was made, and the spirits of both trappers 
were high when soon after noon they returned to 
the camp. 

Directly after dinner had been served Kit Car- 
son suggested to his young friend: “I think it is 
time for us to see if the wild horses have not come 
back. I don’t want that black leader to get away 
from us.” 

Reuben laughed as he said: “Do you still believe 
that you’re going to catch him.^” 

“I know I am,” said Kit Carson. “It’s only a 
question of time.” 

“He certainly is able to make good time,” re- 
torted Reuben. “He ran away from us day before 
[ 215 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


yesterday almost as if he didn’t know we were on 
earth. My horse was almost winded and that 
fellow trotted along almost as if he were laughing 
at us. Do you think a horse can laugh.^” 

“I have heard of a ‘horse laugh,”’ replied the 
scout, smiling dryly. 

“I have not only heard of one, but heard one.” 

“Well, if you heard one you haven’t forgotten 
it. Tell Jack, and we’ll start right soon.” 

A half-hour later the three trappers, after they 
had carefully looked to their mounts, departed 
from the camp and again saw the valley where the 
black leader and his drove had first been discovered. 
A careful search was made, but no signs of the 
presence of the wild horses were discovered. 

“We’ll wait until night,” suggested Kit Carson. 
“It was after sunset when they put into this gorge 
before.” 

The men waited in accordance with the sugges- 
tion of their leader, but when darkness fell the 
horses had not been seen. 

“There’s no use,” said Kit Carson. “They 
aren’t coming here to-night.” 

“How do you know?” inquired Reuben. 

“Why, you can see for yourself. The wild 
ponies, as a rule, do not travel much after dark. 
It is almost dark now, and if they were coming here 
they would have shown up before this time.’ 

12161 


BAFFLED 


“Where do you think they are?” 

“I don’t know where they are. I thought they 
were here. If I knew just where they were I would 
go there, wouldn’t I.^ I think they will come back 
here, though, and the only thing for us to do is to 
keep watch and be sure to be on hand when they 
do come. ” 

On two successive days the eager trappers re- 
turned to the valley, but the wild horses were not 
seen. Alone Kit Carson made excursions for 
many miles in the immediate vicinity, but his ef- 
forts were unrewarded and not a sight of the hand- 
some black leader was had. Still the scout did not 
abandon his efforts. A few days later, at his sug- 
gestion, Reuben and Jack once more accompanied 
him, departing from the camp soon after dinner. 

Quietly they rode among the foothills, keeping 
careful watch on every side. They had almost re- 
turned to the place where first the wild horses had 
been seen when Kit Carson abruptly stopped and, 
pointing to a place in advance of them, said in a 
low voice: “There are ponies yonder. Do you 
see them.^” 

“I can see something moving,” replied Reuben, 
after a long silence. 

“Well, that’s a drove of ponies. The only thing 
for us to do is to put out for it and find out whether 
or not the horse we are after is still there. It may be 
[ 217 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

some other drove. You know they are likely to 
break up into smaller bands when they get too 
many together.’’ Swiftly the trappers rode for- 
ward, and their disappointment was keen when 
they discovered that the horses before them were 
not those for which they were seeking. 

Apparently still as confident as before that he 
would capture the animal he was so eager to have. 
Kit Carson either alone or in the company of Reu- 
ben daily returned to the valley until more than a 
week had elapsed. Their efforts were rewarded at 
last when late one afternoon they discovered the 
horses making for the same valley in which they 
had sought shelter when first they had been seen. 
There was no elation displayed in the manner of 
the scout, but the determination expressed in his 
face was so plain that Reuben was deeply impressed. 

“Give up.^ Give up.^” said Kit Carson in re- 
sponse to a suggestion of his friend. “I never 
learned to do that and you can’t teach an old dog 
new tricks. I simply am going to have that black 
rascal. It’s too bad that Jack isn’t here, for we’ll 
need him, but we’ll go ahead without him and do 
the best we can.” 

Together the two horsemen rode swiftly forward, 
doing their utmost to gain a point nearer the valley 
than the one where the horses were first seen 
grazing. Apparently they had succeeded, when 
[2181 


BAFFLED 


the startled leader lifted his head, neighed sharply, 
and instantly warned his family of the danger 
that was near. 

"'Come on, Reuben! Come on!” shouted Kit 
Carson, as putting his horse into its swiftest paces 
he advanced far into the entrance of the valley. 

The efforts, however, of the trappers were 
doomed to failure. With a disregard of their 
attempt to head him off that was almost ludicrous, 
the swift horse led his followers almost directly 
into the entrance and in a brief time all, including 
the colts, had disappeared from sight among the 
boulders of the ravine. 

“No use, Reuben. No use trying to do any 
more to-night. We have got to think up some 
other way of trapping that black rascal. Did 
you ever see such a handsome animal in your life.^” 

“I never did.” 

‘"Nor I. And every time I see him I simply 
am more determined than ever to get him. I am 
going to catch him just as sure as the sun rises!” 

Several days later it seemed as if the words of 
the scout were about to be fulfilled. Accom- 
panied by Reuben and Jack and two others of the 
campers. Kit Carson succeeded in locating the 
drove and immediately attempted the plan which 
he had already formed for capturing the daring 
leader. 


[ 219 ] 


CHAPTER XXIV 


A FRESH ATTEMPT 

S O EAGER was Kit Carson to secure the 
wonderful leader of the drove that he had 
spent much time in thinking out various 
plans by which the black pony might be captured. 
There had been times when he acknowledged that 
it seemed a pity to try to take such a noble-looking 
animal from its state of freedom and compel it to 
become a servant. And yet, although the trap- 
per’s feelings were tender and he seldom permitted 
his men even to shoot game without some nec- 
essary purpose in view, nevertheless the eagerness 
of the leader to obtain possession of the beautiful 
animal increased with every passing day. 

When at last he explained his plans to his friends 
he said: “I have discovered a pocket about ten 
miles below that gorge into which the black rascal 
led his followers. I think it will be possible for 
us to run him into that. There will be no use in 
trying it until we have tired him out, but I think 
we shall be able to do that.” 

‘‘How?” inquired Reuben. 

[ 220 ] 


A FRESH ATTEMPT 


“I have found that the wild horses come about 
two nights a week into that valley where we drove 
them. They seem to have regular rounds. The 
old fellow that leads them is smart, and if any 
bears or wolves have thought they could lie in 
wait for him they have been mistaken, for he never 
is two successive nights in the same place.” 

‘‘But how do you think you are going to drive 
him into that pocket.^ ” 

“I’m telling you, lad, to-night the wild ponies 
will be in the place where we drove them the last 
day we chased them. We mustn’t let them get 
inside. Probably the leader will do just what he 
did before — send his family and his friends off in 
one direction and he will start for another. Then 
the thing for us to do is to chase him back and 
forth over the ten miles.” 

“But you’ll need an army of men to do it,” 
suggested Reuben. 

“I have already sent ahead four men. They 
are as full of the game as we are. They haven’t 
seen that black horse, but what I have told them 
about him makes them all hungry to join in the 
chase. I’m going to put you and Jack down below 
that pocket. You two must turn back the fellow 
if he tries to get past you. I don’t think he will, 
for he won’t want to leave his charges quite so far 
away. I have got some pieces of tin and I want 
[m] 


SCOUTING WITH KET CAESON 

you both to pound on them and yell like good fel- 
lows. Turn him back anyway. Chase him. Make 
him go as far as the place where I am going to 
have two other men waiting. Then ITl have two 
more up near the valley.” 

“Where will you be?” inquired Reuben, who 
was becoming deeply interested in the project. 

“I'm going to be where I’m needed most, for 
my horse is the swiftest in the camp. I want to 
be in at the finish, too, for I’m going to lasso the 
rascal. And this time we’re going to succeed.” 

In spite of the failures of the preceding attempts 
somehow Reuben was convinced that a greater 
measure of success was likely to crown their efforts 
in the present chase. Obedient to the word of 
their leader the lad and his companion rode in the 
direction indicated and in a brief time had arrived 
at the position they desired. 

Upon their arrival they were speedily convinced 
that the description which Kit Carson had given 
of the spot was more than fulfilled. A narrow 
space not more than forty feet wide seemed almost 
to provide an end for the long valley. Beyond it 
was another valley, the passage between being like 
an isthmus joining two larger spaces. 

Every rider carried his gun, and in addition to 
these weapons Reuben and Jack had tied to the 
pommels of their saddles some large pieces of tin 
[ 222 ] 


A FRESH ATTEMPT 

which had served as the bottoms of certain pans 
that had been used in the camp. 

As soon as they had taken their positions, they 
threw their bridles over the heads of their horses 
and climbing to the shelter of the overhanging 
rocks seated themselves to await the signal that 
might be given for the approach of the horse they 
were so eager to capture. Between the places 
occupied by Reuben and his friend two other men 
were stationed, but they were hidden from the 
sight of their companions. 

Slowly the afternoon waned, but patience was a 
lesson which Reuben had learned from the scout. 
Never yet had he heard an impatient word or a 
word of complaint escape the lips of Kit Carson. 
For one whose natural temperament was so fiery, 
who was so quick in his movements, and so thor- 
oughly alive to every form of physical activity, 
his powers of repression and self-control were 
marvellous. In part it was due to his natural dis- 
position, but still more it was the result of his 
training. The school in which he had studied was 
hard and the lessons were not taught by a school- 
master. In order to succeed as a hunter or trap- 
per infinite patience was required. The very suc- 
cess which had attended the efforts of the young 
scout had been a part of his duties, and Kit Carson 
had been a diligent pupil. In all his experiences 
[ 223 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

with him the only time Reuben had ever seen him 
respond to the words of his comrades, which easily 
aroused the anger of one another, had been the 
time when Rat had declared that he would thrash 
any man in the camp who declared himself to be 
an American. 

Even now the recollection of the boaster caused 
Reuben to smile, and turning to his friend he said: 
“ Do you know what has become of Rat.^ ” 

Jack laughed as he said: “I reckon he evap- 
orated. He hasn’t been seen near here nor in 
these parts for a long time.” 

“Do you suppose he will ever try to get even 
with Kit Carson.^” 

“I don’t think he will even try any such thing. 
What he will try hardest to do will be to put all the 
space he can between him and the scout.” 

Reuben laughed as he said: “I wouldn’t have 
believed that a little fellow like Kit Carson would 
have dared to fight such a great hulk as Rat.” 

“You don’t know him. He’s afraid of nothing 
on earth, and yet, like other men who are good 
fighters, he doesn’t fight often. There is a big 
difference between a man who is always picking a 
quarrel and one who can put up a good fight.” 

“I reckon Rat knows that now.” 

“He surely does, and I don’t think he will want 
to take the lesson over again either. He won’t 
[224] 


A FRESH ATTEMPT 

have to stay after school to learn the rules of that 
game.” 

“The only thing I have heard Kit Carson talk 
much about of all the things he has done was what 
he did in his fight with the two grizzlies.” 

“That’s right,” replied Jack, laughing loudly as 
he spoke. “I have heard him tell that story a 
good many times. He almost makes me see that 
big grizzly swinging and snorting and swaying his 
head when Kit struck him on the nose with his 
club. The nose is about as tender a spot for a 
grizzly as his shins are for a darky.” 

“It was mighty funny,” laughed Reuben. “I 
saw both of them. When the first one came down 
the tree the other one acted just as if he was giving 
his opinion of a fellow who would back out like 
that. He would show him how to do it; so up he 
goes, and Kit Carson gets a good swing on his club 
and lands it right plumb on the snout of that 
grizzly. The way that bear snorted and shook his 
head almost made me laugh.” 

“I should think it would have made you laugh.” 

“The only reason I didn’t was because I was 
afraid the bear would see me, and turn around and 
come for the tree where I was. I hadn’t any 
desire to have him know any more about me than 
he did right then.” 

‘‘ ‘Ignorance is bliss,’ they say.” 

[ 225 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

“It was with me when I thought of that bear. 
Can you see anything of Kit Carson and the 
horses?” Reuben added as he peered intently in 
the direction from which the expected approach 
of the black leader was to be seen. 

Jack was silent a moment before he said: “I 
see something moving up yonder.” 

Instantly Reuben leaped to his feet and gazed 
long and earnestly in the direction indicated by his 
companion. Not many minutes had elapsed before 
both men were convinced that some large animals 
were approaching. Both were hopeful that the 
cloud of dust which was now steadily increasing 
as it drew nearer concealed the black horse and his 
pursuers. The cloud approached rapidly, but it 
was long before Reuben was able to discover the 
outlines of a horse running swiftly and pursued by 
two riders. 

“There they come! There they come!” ex- 
claimed the boy excitedly. “The old fellow is 
making straight for this place where we are.” 

“We had better hide so that he won’t turn off,” 
suggested Jack. “Then when he comes a little 
nearer we’ll take the tin pans and sticks and sere- 
nade him. ” 

“We’ll have to be quick about it,” suggested 
Reuben as he saw the black leader now swiftly 
approaching. Apparently he had been chased far 
[ 226 ] 


A FRESH ATTEMPT 

and long, for his body was flecked with foam and 
his breathing was laboured. In spite of his appear- 
ance of distress, however, the steed was such a 
noble-looking animal that Reuben’s admiration 
was keener than when he first had seen him. 
There was a wildness in his manner now, however, 
that had not been seen on the former occasions. 
The poor beast, fighting for his liberty, and perhaps 
believing that he was struggling for his life, was 
now thoroughly alarmed. His speed had dimin- 
ished, and, pursued by fresh horses, he was no 
longer able to outdistance them easily. 

The horse now was within fifty feet of the place 
where Reuben was standing. Quickly he and his 
companion began to pound upon their tins and at 
the same time they shouted in their loudest tones. 

The startled horse swerved in his course, and, 
snorting with anger or fear, started for the familiar 
entrance. Evidently he was fearful that a trap of 
some kind had been laid, for, turning sharply about 
within the narrow valley, he started swiftly back 
over the way by which he had come. 

‘‘Chase him! Chase him!” called one of the 
pursuers. “You and Jack take your ponies now 
and give him a good run. We’ll go into the other 
end of the pocket so that he won’t go through 
there, and when he runs in the next time, why, 
we’ll let Kit Carson take him.” 

[m] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

In response to the suggestion Reuben and Jack 
speedily were mounted and in swift pursuit of the 
running horse. Their own mounts were somewhat 
fresh now, and as neither was slow, the speed at 
which they advanced was marked. It was plain, 
too, that the leader was distressed. Occasionally 
when he glanced backward his nostrils seemed like 
coals of fire and an expression of fear as well as of 
anger flashed from his eyes. 

‘ ‘ Keep it up ! Keep it up ! ” called J ack. ‘ ‘ Spread 
out a little! Drive him back so that Kit Carson 
can start after him! This time I think he will get 
him for sure. ” 

It was fortunate for Reuben and his companion 
that their own horses were not compelled to cover 
all the distance between the pocket and the valley. 
Both ponies were soon labouring hard and with 
difficulty maintaining the pace into which their 
riders had urged them. Hard, however, as they 
soon were working, their distress was markedly 
less than that of the animal they were following. 

Spreading out when they came nearer the place 
where they expected to find some of their com- 
rades, the boys were not surprised when suddenly 
Kit Carson and four of his companions, yelling in 
their loudest tones and brandishing rifles, several 
of which were discharged, dashed after the startled 
wild horse. Again he retraced his way, but his 
[ 228 ] 


A FRESH ATTEMPT 

distress was increasing so rapidly that it was a 
question whether or not he would be able to gain 
the pocket before he would be taken. 

Kit Carson was carrying his lasso, and it was 
plain to Reuben that at almost any moment now 
he was prepared to dash ahead and try to cast the 
rope over the neck of the suffering steed. For 
some reason, which Reuben did not understand, 
the action was delayed. Kit Carson, however, was 
riding in advance of his followers, and, his pony 
being comparatively fresh, he was able to make 
swifter time than the horse he was following. All 
now were near the entrance to the pocket, and a 
shout arose when the black horse dashed through 
the narrow opening. 


[ 229 ] 


CHAPTER XXV 


THE CAPTIVE LEADER 

I NSTANTLY Kit Carson and Reuben, together 
with the men who were still on the open plain, 
dashed toward the entrance. Reuben was 
able to see the tired horse when he dashed through 
the little valley and fled to the exit on the opposite 
side. 

In a moment, however, the two men who were 
waiting there, shouting in their loudest tones and 
vigorously beating upon their tins, advanced upon 
the startled animal, which immediately turned j 
back in his tracks and again started toward the j 

opening by which he had entered. Again the j 

terrified beast turned back when he found the pas- 
sageway blocked by several of his pursuers. 

The noble animal stopped and gazed partly in ; 
fear and partly in anger at the men, and then with i 
repeated snorts of defiance began to circle the f: 
little enclosure. Several times he stopped, and to | 
Reuben it seemed as if he had decided to turn and | 
attempt to fight his way through. T 

Kit Carson and his friends, however, gave the 
[ 230 ] 


THE CAPTIVE LEADER 

pony no rest. Whenever he stopped some of the 
men bore down upon him with shouts mingled 
with an occasional discharge of a gun and loud 
beatings upon the tins. In this manner they com- 
pelled the horse to keep running and prevented 
him from obtaining any rest. 

Around and around the enclosure the poor beast 
ran until it seemed to Reuben as if the weary ani- 
mal must drop from sheer exhaustion. Not once 
was he permitted to stop for rest. The men were 
shouting, discharging their rifles, beating upon their 
tins, and continually doing their utmost to prevent 
the leader of the drove from passing them or 
pausing in his flight. 

To Reuben the pitiful aspect of the noble animal 
soon became doubly strong. The expression in 
his eyes as well as his manner showed that he 
was nearly exhausted. His breathing was very 
laboured and his heaving flanks showed how diffi- 
cult his flight had become. 

For an hour the maddening chase continued. 
By that time the black horse had stumbled and 
almost fallen several times. Indeed, it seemed to 
Reuben as if the poor beast each time would be 
unable to regain his footing and continue his mad 
flight. Once more there welled up in Reuben’s 
heart a feeling of pity for the animal which had 
made such a desperate struggle for freedom. 

[ 231 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 

In the midst of all these things, however, Kit 
Carson was unmoved. The expression on his face 
did not change. He simply was determined to 
carry through to its completion the plan which he 
had formed for the capture of the leader of the 
ponies that had so strongly appealed to his admira- 
tion. 

Suddenly the scout wheeled and shouted: “Now 
is the time! Look out for the openings! All I 
want is for you to keep him from breaking through.” 

At that moment Carson started swiftly forward 
on the animal he was riding. Trembling, weak, 
and streaked with froth and sweat, the black horse 
stared at the unexpected advance for a moment, 
and then with a desperate effort tried to renew his 
flight. 

There was no display of anger now. The fierce- 
ness of the black beast was gone. His head was 
drooping and his weakness was apparent in every 
forward step that he took. No longer was there 
the flash of fire to be seen in his eyes. There was 
in them now an expression of agony mingled with 
fear. 

Kit Carson, however, advancing slowly until he 
was within ten yards of the animal he was deter- 
mined to secure, swung his lasso several times 
above his head and then cast it toward the black 
horse. 


[ 232 ] 


THE CAPTIVE LEADER 

Silence had followed the action of the scout, and 
almost breathless in their excitement every one 
watched the curling, twisting leather strip as it 
slowly made its way toward its mark. A sigh of 
relief escaped Reuben’s lips when the noose, al- 
most as if it were conscious of what it was doing, 
dropped over the head of the black horse and 
settled about his neck. 

The pony which Kit Carson was riding was fa- 
miliar with his task. It was not the first time the 
scout had captured wild horses, although never 
before had he attempted to take one so beautiful 
and fleet and strong. The pony braced its feet and 
stood back in its tracks to throw its strength against 
the pull that would be made upon it. 

The black horse, now conscious of the tightening 
noose, leaped forward in one final despairing effort 
to escape from his pursuers. How vain it all was. 
As the powerful animal dashed ahead, the noose 
tightened, the line became taut, and he was thrown, 
almost turning a somersault as he came to the 
ground. 

Quickly the scout rushed forward, and a moment 
later, before the captive was able to rise, his fore- 
feet were hobbled, and the beautiful wild pony, 
which only recently had been the proud leader of 
a drove, was helpless in the hands of his captors. 

For a moment sounds of mingled rage and terror 
[ 233 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

were emitted by the trembling animal as he lay 
helpless upon the ground. His eyes, however, had 
now taken on an expression of intense hatred, 
and suddenly by a supreme effort he arose to his 
feet and remained standing. His ears were flat- 
tened against his head, and for a moment even Kit 
Carson hesitated before he approached the angry 
and trembling beast. 

Turning to his companions the scout said quietly: 
“I want every one of you now to go back to camp.” 

“But we don’t want to leave you here with that 
black demon,” suggested Jack. 

“I’m going to stay here alone,” said Kit Carson 
quietly. “You need not have any fears that I 
shall be hurt, and it will not be long before I shall 
come to the camp myself.” 

Reuben glanced appealingly at the scout, seek- 
ing permission to remain without voicing his wish. 
Kit Carson, however, smiled and shook his head. 
Reuben was to go back with the other trappers. 
Reluctantly the half-dozen men rode slowly out of 
the opening in the enclosure and started toward the 
camp. 

“I don’t like to leave him there,” said Jack, 
slowly shaking his head as he spoke. “That 
horse is as dangerous as a grizzly and twice as 
powerful.” 

“That may be so,” admitted one of the men, 
[ 234 ] 


THE CAPTIVE LEADER 

“but I don’t care how strong it is Kit Carson has 
a way of taking all that out of it.” 

“I knew a man once who had his head bitten 
off by a horse,” suggested one of the trappers. 

“I reckon his head must have been about the 
size of a walnut,” laughed the trapper. 

“Never you mind,” said the first speaker; “a 
horse has a powerful big mouth and its teeth are 
strong. Did you ever see two horses fight? ” 

“Yes.” 

“Well, there’s no sight like it in the world. 
They make you think of two demons. A good 
many times they’ll fight until one or the other is 
killed, and sometimes neither one comes out of the 
fight alive.” 

“Well, I would rather have them fight one an- 
other than to fight me,” said the first trapper. “I 
don’t envy Kit his job back yonder.” 

Reuben had been silent throughout the con- 
versation, and his fears for his friend were greatly 
increased in consequence of it. He was becoming 
alarmed for the safety of the lithe little scout, but 
there was nothing to be done except to carry out 
his desires, and in silence he proceeded on his way 
to the camp. 

When the men arrived they found their com- 
panions eager listeners to the story they had to 
tell of the capture of the black horse. Others of 
[ 235 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


the men also were concerned now for the safety 
of the scout, but against the suggestion that they 
should go to his relief the strong protests made by 
the men who had accompanied Carson in the chase 
at last prevailed, and no one departed from the 
camp. 

Meanwhile, although it was seldom that refer- 
ence was made to the fear in the heart of every 
one, the anxiety among the trappers increased as 
the slow moments passed. When an hour had 
elapsed the suggestion was renewed by Reuben 
that the men should go to the aid of their leader. 
But the suggestion was again refused. Another 
hour passed, and still there were no signs of the 
coming of the missing trapper. 

A half-hour later, however. Kit Carson was seen 
approaching the camp, riding his own pony and 
leading his captive. The black horse was follow- 
ing meekly, his dejected bearing clearly showing 
the sufferings he had undergone. The scout made 
no comment when he rode into the camp. He at 
once quietly dismounted and threw the bridle rein 
over the head of the pony he had been riding and 
then turned to his captive. 

At first it seemed as if the spirit of the black 
horse was broken. In a moment, however, when 
Kit Carson tried to lead forward the nearly ex- 
hausted animal, the wild pony reared and with a 
[ 236 ] 


THE captrt: leader 

scream of anger attempted to strike the scout with 
his forefeet. Carson, however, was too quick, 
and the attempt of his prisoner to injure him proved 
futile. 

Again the scout pulled upon the halter, although 
as Reuben watched him he was puzzled to under- 
stand how the daring man had succeeded in plac- 
ing a halter on the head of the powerful animal. 
The pony this time responded, and although he 
was apparently unaware of what he was doing, he 
followed his captor as he led him to a stake which 
had been securely driven into the ground on the 
border of the camp. There the captured horse was 
tied. Once more, however. Kit Carson barely 
escaped the onrush of the beast as he dashed upon 
him with wide-open jaws. It was impossible for 
any one in the camp now to hobble the animal, 
and for a time he was left to his vain efforts to 
escape. Desperately the poor beast pulled upon 
the thongs that held him, but without avail. After 
a struggle of a few minutes the attempt was aban- 
doned, and for a time it seemed as if the black horse, 
his spirits drooping and his whole bearing dejected, 
had at last decided to yield to his fate. 

Kit Carson declared that the horse should not 
be fed or watered throughout the night. When 
morning came, with some oats in his hat which 
he was holding in his outstretched hand, the scout 
[ 237 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

again approached the captive. Hunger and thirst 
by this time had deprived the beast of still more of 
his fiery energy. He was weak now as well as 
suffering. Stretching forth his head, he ate a few 
oats, and then, apparently overcome by his recol- 
lection of his humiliation, with a scream of anger 
he arose upon his hind feet and again endeavoured 
to crush the scout. 


[ 238 ] 


CHAPTER XXVI 


THE RETURN OF RAT 

C OME on, shoot the brute!” shouted Jack, 
greatly excited as he saw the peril of the 
scout. 

In response to his appeal several men ran for 
their rifles, but Kit Carson himself, quickly turn- 
ing to his followers, said quietly: “None of that, 
boys. This fellow isn’t to blame for what he’s 
doing. Leave him to me.” 

In surprise the trappers drew back and watched 
the scout, as quickly avoiding the rush of the black 
horse he soon quieted the excited animal, which 
was more nervous than savage. Indeed, in the 
days that followed, the methods which Kit Carson 
employed to “break” the high-spirited animal were 
different from those which any of his friends had 
ever seen or employed. In most cases horses were 
broken by the most brutal of means. Cruelty was 
so common that it was looked upon as common- 
place. The new method which the scout used 
was so different as to cause surprise among his 
followers. Indeed, many of them expressed their 
[ 239 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

open belief that he would never succeed and his 
plan would only result in damage to the one who 
employed it. 

Kit Carson, strong and quiet, a man who did not 
hesitate to use the very utmost of his strength and 
the greatest of his resources when he was fighting, 
in most ways was quiet and gentle as a woman. 
Following his plan persistently, not many days had 
elapsed before the black horse was following the 
scout almost as a dog follows his master. Indeed 
he seemed to develop a feeling of strong affection 
for his captor, and it was plain to all the campers 
that they never before had seen their leader be- 
come so fond of any animal. 

In the days that passed, the horse, which was 
named Black Jack, became the pet of the entire 
camp. There was one strange trait, however, 
which the horse developed, and that was that he 
was unwilling for any of the trappers to mount 
him save Kit Carson and, on rare occasions, Reuben. 
Several times Reuben had been permitted to ride 
the swift-footed steed, but it was plain to the be- 
holders as well as to the rider that there was no 
enthusiasm in carrying the boy. The excitement 
attending the capture of the wild horse passed in a 
brief time, although Black Jack still remained a 
great pet of the trappers. 

There were busy days that followed. The 
[240J 


THE RETURN OF RAT 

season was proving to be unusually successful, 
and the number of skins taken by the men rapidly 
increased with every passing day. The daily 
round of visiting the traps, the labour of skinning 
the animals that had been caught, and the work of 
drying and curing the catch occupied most of their 
time. 

Indeed it was soon decided that the furs must 
be cached after the plan which had been followed 
once before. This time it was Reuben who as- 
sisted in selecting the spot where the hole should be 
dug in the ground, and he it was who looked after 
the preparations of the place to receive the valuable 
skins which represented so much toil and time. 

Still the labour of trapping was steadily con- 
tinued. One day while Reuben was alone, en- 
gaged in the task to which he had been assigned, 
he was startled when he saw before him near one 
of the traps the stooping figure of a man. The 
stranger was bending over a trap, and for a moment 
the lad was angered by the sight before him. He 
was suspicious that the visitor was striving to steal 
the catch of the night. And there was no crime 
considered more heinous among the trappers, un- 
less it was that of horse stealing. 

Hastily Reuben looked to the priming of his 
rifle and then advancing, quickly shouted: “Who 
is there.^ Who are you.^ What do you want?” 

[ 241 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


To the amazement of the startled lad the huge 
form of Rat arose from the opposite bank of the 
stream and quickly turned to face the one who had 
hailed him. 

‘‘Huh!” exclaimed Rat. “It’s only you, is it.^^” 
as he discovered who the party was that had hailed 
him. 

“That’s all,” said Reuben dryly, “and I see 
you’re just Rat. Tell me what you’re doing here.” 

“I’m ’tending to my own business, and that’s 
more than some people are doing.” 

“You don’t look as if you were,” retorted Reuben, 
still more angered by the manner of the man. 

“What do I look as if I was doing?” 

“You know as well as I do,” said Reuben quickly, 
“and you know what sometimes happens to men 
for doing that very thing.” 

“You little cub!” roared Rat. “I’ve a great 
mind to treat you as ” 

“As you were treated by Kit Carson?” laughed 
Reuben. 

For a moment the expression of anger on the 
face of the huge man caused Reuben to regret the 
hasty words he had spoken. He felt safe, however, 
as the brook was wide and deep, and he had little 
fear that Rat would venture into the cold waters 
of the mountain torrent. Water had ever been 
one of the pet aversions of the huge Rat, and he 
[ 242 ] 


THE RETURN OF RAT 

had never listened kindly to suggestions of his 
camp mates as to its use. For a moment the 
angry face of the man glared upon Reuben, and 
then as if by a supreme effort, Rat, striving to look 
more pleasant, said : ‘'And what luck have you had 
this winter.^” 

“ Good. How has yours been.f^ ” 

“My luck is against me,” replied Rat, shaking 
his head as he spoke. “Everything is against 
me.” 

“Including Rat,” suggested Reuben. 

“What do you mean?” thundered the trapper, 
his face once more expressive of his anger. 

“Nothing, except that you stand in your own 
way. That’s what everybody about the camp 
says. They would like to be friends with you, 
but you won’t let them.” 

“Why won’t I let them? I would like to be 
on good terms with everybody.” 

“With Kit Carson?” inquired Reuben. 

“Yes, even with Kit Carson.” As Rat spoke, 
Reuben was conscious for an instant of a deep 
scowl that appeared on the face of the trapper, 
but it disappeared so quickly that he was not even 
positive that it had been there at all. “What 
would Kit Carson say if I came back to camp?” 
inquired Rat at last. 

“That would depend very much upon what you 
[ 243 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

yourself said, I reckon. If I remember right, 
that’s the way it was before, wasn’t it.^ If you 
had kept quiet Kit Carson would have been quiet, 
too.” 

“I hear he has married a squaw,” suggested Rat. 

“You can hear all sorts of things.” 

“Did he?” 

“Yes. He’s not ashamed of it.” 

“Perhaps she’ll be when he runs off and leaves 
her.” 

“I advise you not to suggest that thing to Kit 
Carson the next time you see him. You’ll have 
more than a lame wrist to show for it if you do.” 

“He took me off my guard,” protested Rat. 
“I wasn’t ready for him.” 

“That wasn’t any fault of yours. He caught 
you before you could get ready. You were doing 
your best to get the drop on him.” 

“That’s a lie!” shouted Rat. “I wasn’t doing 
anything of the kind! But then,” he added a 
moment later, his voice becoming lower, though it 
was plain that he had regained his self-control 
only by a great effort, “but then I have no desire 
to quarrel with Kit Carson nor any one in the camp. 
I would like to be friends with all, if they’d let me.” 

“Do you mean you want to come back to camp? ” 
inquired Reuben. 

“Yes.” 


[ 244 ] 


THE RETURN OF RAT 

The lad whistled and made no response until 
Rat said: ‘‘Don’t you think they would let me 
come?” 

“If you will promise to be on your good be- 
haviour, they’ll be glad to have you come. They 
wouldn’t have you there a minute, though, if you 
tried the trick you did before.” 

“I haven’t any trick to try. I’m hungry and 
I’m tired. If they’ll give me some supper and 
let me spend the night in camp, that’s all I want. 
I’ll leave to-morrow morning if they want me to. 
If they will let me, though. I’ll stay and do my 
share, and be glad to do it.” 

“I can’t say what they’ll do. The only thing 
for you to do is to try it.” 

“Maybe you’ll go ahead and find out for me?” 
suggested Rat, his voice becoming almost a whine 
in his eagerness. 

“No, come along. Go back up the stream about 
a mile and you’ll find a place where you can jump 
across. If you want to you can come over on this 
bank now.” 

“I don’t want to,” said Rat quickly, glancing 
at the rushing torrent, as if it was threatening 
him. “I’ll walk back up the bank and wait for 
you. How long will you be? ” 

“I don’t know,” said Reuben. “I wasn’t com- 
ing back this way anyway. I’m going to visit the 
[ 245 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

traps and set them. I have brought bait with me 
and I’ll fix every trap before I leave.” 

“Would you like to have me help you.^” in- 
quired Rat, striving to speak pleasantly. 

Reuben hesitated a moment and then said: 
“Yes. You had better come across here, though, 
and not wait to go back up the stream.” 

In response to the suggestion the huge man, with 
many groans and protestations, finally entered the 
stream, and as the depth of the water increased he 
held high above his head the two pistols with which 
he was armed. The sight was ludicrous and 
Reuben laughed heartily. As the man came nearer 
the bank on which he was standing Reuben’s heart 
almost misgave him for the invitation he had given. 
Nor was it long before Reuben had greater cause 
for regret that he had been willing for the huge 
Rat to join him. 


[ 246 ] 


CHAPTER XXVII 


THE THEFT 


HE dripping body of the huge trapper when 



he stepped at last upon the shore made 


Reuben once more aware of the immense 


size and strength of the man. As he recalled the 
contest between Kit Carson and the giant before 
him, and was reminded of the slight, almost delicate 
form of the scout, he was amazed at the courage 
of the latter in accepting the challenge of the 
braggart. 

At present, however, there did not appear to be 
anything to fear from Rat, and it was manifest 
that his thoughts were mostly concerned with his 
own condition. The cold water perhaps had cooled 
any heated tendencies he may have had. At all 
events, he was subdued in his manner and even 
tried to laugh at the sight he declared he must 
present. 

“I’ll help you, lad,” said Rat, at the same time 
stooping and assuming a part of the burden. 
“You’re going back to camp now, aren’t you?” 


“Yes.” 


[ 247 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

“ITl go along with you.” 

Reuben glanced in fresh surprise at the man, for 
the camp of the trappers, and especially Kit Car- 
son, he was positive Rat had no real desire to see. 
Indeed, he wondered at the temerity of the man 
in daring to return, knowing as he did the feeling 
against him when he had fled from the place. 

“I suppose you’ve got the same trappers as 
ever, haven’t you, Reuben?” inquired Rat. 

“Yes,” replied Reuben in a low voice. 

“Kit Carson still at the head?” 

“Yes.” 

“He’s a great little Kit. He was too quick for 
me,” said Rat, striving to laugh as he spoke. 

“He always is,” suggested Reuben. 

“That don’t mean that he always will be, does 
it?” 

“I think it does.” 

“He certainly has a good friend in you, Reuben. 
He makes every one bow down to him.” 

“If they do, it’s not because he makes them, but 
because they want to.” 

“It’s all the same, it’s all the same.” 

Silence followed, and steadily Reuben led the 
way back to the place where he had left his com- 
rades. Occasionally he glanced keenly at his 
companion, but he was unable to discover any 
signs of fear or even of shame. Apparently Rat 
[2481 


THE THEFT 


was returning to the trappers as a matter of course 
and expecting that he would be received in the 
same spirit with which he came. And yet in 
spite of his manner Reuben was keenly suspicious 
of the huge boaster. The very fact that he had 
suffered at the hands of the boyish scout doubt- 
less had aroused a feeling of resentment which 
could not be quieted until Rat had obtained satis- 
faction. 

To the surprise of Reuben, however, when they 
entered the camp Rat was greeted without any 
protest, though it could not be said that there 
was manifest any feeling of special pleasure at his 
return. Apparently accepting the condition as 
one which he had expected. Rat soon made him- 
self at home in response to the quiet invitation of 
Kit Carson. It was plain, however, within a few 
days that the prejudices of the trappers were still 
keen. Indeed there was not one who was not 
suspicious of him, though there was none as yet 
who had shown any unfriendly attitude. 

Why had the man come back to camp? WTiat 
had he expected? If he had returned to take 
vengeance upon Kit Carson, why did he postpone 
his attack? These questions and others like them 
were frequently in the mind of Reuben, but when 
several days had elapsed and no answer had been 
found, he concluded that the boaster had been 
[ 249 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

taught a much-needed lesson and that now he was 
cured of his overbearing ways. 

On the fourth day after his arrival Rat suggested 
to Reuben that they should visit their traps to- 
gether. Unwilling though he was, Reuben never- 
theless quietly assented, and not long afterward 
the two men set forth on their rounds. 

The season had been wonderfully successful. 
Never in their experience had so many skins been 
secured as the trappers had taken within the preced- 
ing few weeks. The noisy Rat was loud in his 
declaration that Kit Carson knew better than any 
one the streams where the beaver lived. Whether 
his statement was true or not, beaver, otter, mink, 
and other animals were caught in great numbers, 
and many of the skins, as has been said, had been 
cached. 

It was when Reuben and his companion had 
halted in the middle of the day for luncheon that 
Rat quietly said to the lad: “Where have you 
made your caches this time?” 

Reuben laughed as he replied: “There’s one 
within ten feet of you now.” 

“What!” exclaimed Rat, glancing keenly about 
him as he spoke. 

“That’s right,” replied Reuben, “there’s one 
within ten feet of you. I don’t know what Kit 
Carson would say, but I’m so sure you can’t find 
[ 250 ] 


THE THEFT 


it that I would almost be willing to say you can 
have half the skins there if you dig out the place.” 

“That’s all very well,” replied Rat; “of course 
I can’t find it.” At the same time he glanced all 
about him, and if Reuben had been more experi- 
enced he would have discovered that the trapper 
was protesting too much. Again and again he 
begged of Reuben to show him the place where 
the skins were concealed, declaring that he was 
unable to discover any trace that had been left. 
Reuben, however, refused to disclose the location 
of the cache, and when at last they proceeded on 
their rounds he was convinced that Rat had no 
suspicion as to its exact location. 

“I’m wondering,” suggested Rat as they moved 
down the stream, “if Kit Carson would have any 
objection to letting me bring some of my furs 
and putting them in the cache along with his.” 

“You’ll have to ask him.” 

“I will just as soon as I go back to the camp,” 
declared Rat. 

True to his word, that very evening the huge 
boaster, approaching the scout, said: “Kit, have 
you any objection to letting me cache some of my 
furs along with yours?” 

For a moment the scout glanced keenly at the 
face of the inquirer before he spoke: “How many 
furs have you got? ” he inquired at last. 

[ 251 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

“Not very many just yet. I expect to have 
more, for I’ve never seen the catch as good as it 
is now.” 

“You come and talk to me when you get more 
and we’ll see what can be done,” said Kit Carson 
quietly at last. 

Slight attention was paid to the conversation, 
and even Reuben had almost forgotten it, as 
well as his own talk the preceding day with Rat 
concerning the location of the cache near the 
stream on the bank of which they were trapping. 
These things were brought strongly back to his 
recollection, however, when on the following morn- 
ing it was discovered that the black horse was gone 
and that two other horses also had disappeared. 
Nor was this all that the camp had lost, for Rat 
also was missing. When the men assembled for 
breakfast, the discovery of the loss of the black 
horse and the report also that two other animals 
were gone caused them to declare that Rat had 
not fled from the place without taking more than 
the horses. Just what he wanted of three horses 
was not plain to the trappers. 

Suddenly, however, Reuben called Kit Carson 
to one side and said to him: “Did Rat ask you to 
let him cache some of his furs.^^ ” 

“Yes,” replied the scout, looking keenly into 
the face of his friend as he spoke. 

[ 252 ] 


THE THEFT 


“Well, he wanted me the other day, when we 
were trapping together, to show him where our 
cache was. I told him there was one within ten 
feet of the place where he was standing and that if he 
could find it he might have half the skins. You 
don’t suppose that he’s found the place and taken 
those horses to carry off some of the skins, do 
you?” 

For a moment Kit Carson was silent. Although 
he was aware that Reuben was keenly mortified 
by the confession he had made, he did not speak 
any word of reproach. Not many minutes had 
elapsed, however, before Kit Carson, selecting 
two of the swiftest ponies in the camp, said to 
Reuben: “Do you want to go with me?” 

“ Yes . Where are you going ? ’ ’ 

“I’m glad you put your answers in that way,” 
replied Kit Carson with a smile. “I’m glad you’re 
going, and you’ll soon find out where I’m going. 
First of all, take me to the place where you told 
Rat there was one of our caches.” 

Both trappers carried their rifles and mounting 
the swiftest ponies, they speedily departed from 
the camp. Reuben easily led the way toward 
the place where he and Rat had stopped for their 
noontime meal and where also he had foolishly 
told the braggart that one of the caches was not 
far away. 


[ 253 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


Reuben was not surprised when an hour later, 
after they had arrived at the place they were seek- 
ing, he discovered that the hiding-place had been 
opened and that many furs had been removed. It 
was plain, too, from the marks left by the feet of 
the horses nearby, as to what disposition had been 
made of the stolen furs. The anger of Reuben was 
intense, but to his noisy protests no response was 
made by Kit Carson, whose quiet manner was still 
unchanged. 

“There’s nothing for us to do, lad,” suggested 
the scout, “except to go after the rascal and get 
our skins.” 

Already convinced that this was the purpose of 
the scout in coming, Reuben made no response 
except to quicken the speed at which his horse 
was moving and do his utmost to follow the scout 
when they set forth on their journey. 

They already had taken the precaution of pro- 
viding supplies sufficient for two days, although 
Kit Carson was depending upon game to provide 
much of their food. 

Occasionally the scout paused to examine the 
ground and try to discover the imprints left by 
the feet of Rat’s horses. Frequently the trail was 
almost lost, but Kit Carson, after circling the spot 
and carefully examining the ground, every time 
succeeded in discovering the signs for which he 
[ 254 ] 


THE THEFT 


was searching, and then with increased speed the 
pursuit was renewed. 

Reuben was thinking of what would occur if 
the scout should overtake the burly boaster. The 
quiet determination expressed in Kit’s face plainly 
indicated what was in his mind. And the thief 
would be overtaken soon, Reuben was convinced, 
because when Rat had fled, although he had taken 
Black Jack, swiftest of all the ponies in the camp, 
the speed at which he was fleeing could not be 
greater than the pace of the horses which were 
following him and carrying the stolen furs on their 
backs. 


[ 255 ] 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


THE RETURN 

I N SPITE of the efforts of the scout, two days 
elapsed before any signs of the immediate 
presence of the thief were discovered. And 
even then he was not positive that the huge Rat 
was near at hand. 

‘T think he’s gone,” suggested Reuben. 

‘‘Did you have any question about that.^” 
laughed Kit Carson quietly. “That he had ‘gone’ 
was the reason why we started after him.” 

“Yes, but I think he’s gone where we can’t find 
him.” 

Carson smiled as he shook his head, but made no 
response to the discouraged lad. 

An Indian village was located in the valley not 
far ahead of them. The signs which had aroused 
the interest of Kit Carson had been the discovery 
of the bones and part of the hide of a horse which 
had been left on the sands by its border. “That’s 
one of our horses,” said the scout quietly to Reu- 
ben. 

“Is it? ” inquired the younger scout as he quickly 
[ 256 ] 


THE RETURN 


jumped from his horse and began to investigate 
the remains of the unfortunate animal. ‘‘I could 
not say,” he said at last when he arose and resumed 
his seat in the saddle. 

“I am sure it is,” said Kit Carson in a low voice, 
^‘and we shall find that the Indians either are 
having a feast on horseflesh, or that they have 
just finished one. The best plan, Reuben, will 
be for you to stay here while I go alone into the 
village.” 

Reuben glanced nervously about him, for his 
confidence in his own ability to protect himself in 
case he should be attacked was not strong. How- 
ever, he made no reference to his own feelings and 
watched his companion as he slowly rode toward 
the wigwams, the tops of which could be seen in 
the distance. 

Two hours passed before Kit Carson returned to 
his companion. At first the scout was not inclined 
to relate what had befallen him in his visit. In 
a brief time, however, he said: ‘T found the Indians 
all friendly.” 

‘‘Did you?” inquired Reuben. “Were they 
having a feast?” 

“Yes.” 

“Didn’t they object to your interrupting them? ” 

“No. I found them all friendly, as I said. 
Indeed, the chief of the village is a cousin of my 
[ 257 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

wife. What horse do you suppose they have been 
eating?” 

“Not Black Jack?” demanded Reuben, startled 
by the suggested question. 

Kit Carson nodded his head to indicate that 
the beautiful animal had indeed been the one 
which had provided the feast for the Indians. 

“Why did they do that? How did it happen?” 

“It seems that when Rat came into the village 
the black horse had broken a leg. It was just able 
to drag itself along.” 

“Was Rat there?” 

“He was, but he isn’t now.” 

“What has happened to him?” 

Kit Carson smiled slightly as he looked keenly 
into the face of his angry friend, and then he said: 
“I advised him to leave.” 

“And he left?” 

“He did.” 

“Did you do anything to him?” 

“Nothing except to advise him to depart. I 
am glad to say that to all appearances he seemed 
to be willing to follow my advice. He decided, 
however, to leave our furs behind him.” 

“Where are they now?” 

“They are in the village and I can get them any 
time I want them.” 

“What did Rat have to say for himself?” 

[ 258 ] 


THE RETURN 


‘‘Nothing much. He tried at first to explain 
that it was all a mistake, that he didn’t know the 
skins belonged to us, and when he found them he 
thought it was a great find and he would make 
away with them himself.” 

“What did he have to say about Black Jack.?^” 

“He claimed that Black Jack was outside the 
camp and that he didn’t intend to run away with 
him. He was going to bring him back just as soon 
as he disposed of the furs. I have just come back 
to tell you, Reuben, that I’m not going back to 
camp just now. Do you think you can find your 
away alone? ” 

“Yes. Why don’t you want me to stay with 
you?” 

Kit Carson shook his head as he said in a low 
voice: “It will be better, Reuben, for you to go 
back to camp. Tell the men that I shall be there 
some time to-morrow.” 

Reuben looked suspiciously into the face of the 
scout, but there was nothing in his expression to 
betray what his intentions were. Convinced that 
there was nothing more to be said, Reuben reluc- 
tantly spoke to his horse and started on his journey 
back to the camp. Occasionally he glanced be- 
hind him, but after a few minutes had elapsed 
he was unable to discover the scout anywhere on 
the plains. Doubtless he had returned to the 
[ 259 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

village, though just what his purpose in doing so 
Reuben was unable to conjecture. 

Steadily Reuben continued on his way, and the 
return, inasmuch as he was able to proceed directly 
and was not compelled to stop in order to study the 
signs in the sand as to the course which Rat had 
followed, did not require as much time as had been 
consumed in the journey in pursuit of the thief. 

Near noon of the day following that on which he 
had left his companion Reuben entered the camp. 
In response to the eager questions of his friends 
he related what had befallen him and Kit Carson 
in their efforts to overtake Rat. There were ex- 
clamations of anger over the fate which had be- 
fallen Black Jack and many expressions of wonder 
as to why Kit had permitted the braggart to depart 
from the Indian village before severe punishment 
had been inflicted upon him. Nor did Kit Carson 
offer any explanation when he returned two days 
later. 

The steady routine of the camp life continued 
during the weeks that followed, and when at last 
the entire party once more made its way back to 
Taos every one was well satisfied with the success 
which had attended their combined labours. 

With Kit Carson now went the young Indian 
girl who was his wife. The long journey at last 
was completed and preparations were made for the 
[ 260 ] 


THE RETURN 


quiet weeks that must ensue at the little Spanish 
settlement. The weeks ran into months, and a 
baby girl that had been born to Kit Carson and 
his wife had grown into a laughing, though quiet, 
dark-eyed little beauty. She was the pet of every 
one in the settlement, and the pride of Kit 
Carson in the little maid was apparent to all his 
friends. Indeed the unusual demonstration of af- 
fection which the scout displayed as he played with 
the little girl was the cause of much comment among 
his friends. 

One day, however, there came a sadness upon 
all who knew the scout. His young Indian wife 
had been taken ill, and despite all the efforts of 
the people in the little settlement to help her, their 
work proved unavailing. In a brief time the dark- 
eyed wife of Kit Carson was dead. Not long after 
her death the scout came to Reuben and said: “I’m 
going to start for Pain Court. Do you want to go 
with me.^” 

For a moment Reuben was silent. He recalled 
the circumstances under which he had departed 
from the place years ago. His mother was dead 
and his father, either made unfeeling by the death 
of his wife or hardened by the conditions of his 
life, had become indifferent to Reuben. He had 
insisted that he would no longer be responsible 
for the care of the lad, and it was partly because 
[ 261 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KITJ^CARSON 

of the hardships which in this manner were thrust 
upon him that Reuben had started with Jean 
Badeau across the long plains. 

Not a word in all the months that had inter- 
vened had been heard from his father. Whether 
or not he was living now he had no means of know- 
ing. And as for Jean, he had strangely disap- 
peared, as we know, and whether or not the harm- 
less insane man whom Reuben had seen at San 
Gabriel and in the Indian village, where Kit Carson 
had found his wife, really was the lost trapper he 
had no means of fully knowing. 

These thoughts passed quickly through Reu- 
ben’s mind, but he was accustomed to quick de- 
cisions, and in a moment he said: “Yes, I will go.” 

“I am going to take my baby with me,” said the 
scout. 

“What?” 

“I am going to take the baby with me. I don’t 
dare leave her here to be brought up by the squaws. 
I am going to take her back among my own people 
and have her looked after as the daughter of her 
father ought to be, for I am a man of means now,” 
added Kit Carson quietly, smiling as he spoke. 
“A few more skins and I shall have enough to make 
me rich, or at least some time ago I would have 
thought I was rich if I had had any such amount of 
money.” 


[ 262 ] 


THE RETURN 


“She’ll die on the way,” protested Reuben. 

“Well, she will have to die some time. It’s 
no worse to die on the plains than it is in a town. 
I think she would die here at Taos if I left her, and 
I’m going to take my chances and see if I cannot 
take her back with me.” 

“But she’ll starve. You cannot get any milk 
for her.” 

Kit Carson smiled, but said no more, and Reu- 
ben was surprised when two days later, after ar- 
rangements had been completed for the departure, 
he discovered that an Indian brave and his wife 
whose baby had died two days before were to 
accompany them. 

Of the long journey that followed Reuben re- 
tained many vivid recollections. There were 
nights when their camp was surrounded by the 
howling coyotes; there were times when they were 
unable to see far before them because of clouds 
of dust which passing herds of buffaloes had raised. 
Several times, too, they were visited by Indians 
from the various tribes. Twice there were delays 
of two or three days each because Kit Carson was 
fearful that his little girl \Yas becoming weaker 
under the stress of the long journey. 

At last the scout insisted on turning aside from 
the immigrant road for a visit to the old settlement 
on the borders of Missouri where he had been born. 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


His visit, however, was not prolonged. He found 
that the old cabin in which his family had lived 
was now a deserted ruin. As he recalled the place 
it had been filled to overflowing with the large 
family which had made it its home. Now, not 
one member of his family was to be found in the 
region. Whither they all had gone or what had 
become of them he was unable to discover. 

Disappointed by the results of his visit, the 
scout renewed his journey to Pain Court, and at 
last the travellers found themselves within the 
limits of the place they were seeking. 

But what a change had come over all things 
there. The little trading-post had become a large 
town. Streets had been laid out which to the 
trappers seemed to be crowded with people passing 
to and fro. In amazement the strangers looked 
all about them as they entered, unable to recognize 
any familiar faces. 

It was not long, however, before Reuben decided 
that he would leave his companions for a time and 
do his utmost to discover whether or not his father 
was still living. 


[ 264 ] 


CHAPTER XXIX 


THE GREAT SCOUT AND THE GREAT EXPLORER 

S EVERAL days elapsed before the young 
trapper obtained any definite clue con- 
cerning his father. At that time, how- 
ever, he was informed by the woman with whom 
he was boarding that she also had been making in- 
quiries for him, as she had become greatly interested 
in her young boarder. She had been informed by 
a woman who occasionally visited her place with 
vegetables for sale that she had heard of a man 
named Benton who was in the poorhouse in a nearby 
town. 

Faint as the clue was, Reuben decided to follow 
it. When at last he was admitted into the room 
in which the man who bore the same name as he 
was found, he said quickly: “That’s not the man. 
He isn’t my father.” 

“Better look again,” suggested the keeper of 
the place. “You say it has been a good many 
years since you saw him.” 

“Yes, it has been a long time,” replied Reuben 
slowly, as again he looked keenly at the old and 
[ 265 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 

decrepit man before him. The man’s hair was 
long, his clothing unkempt, but what appealed 
most strongly to Reuben was the fact that the 
man was totally blind. 

At the sound of his voice there had been a 
strange and sudden movement on the part of the 
blind man. He turned his sightless face in the 
direction from which Reuben’s voice had been 
heard and a change in his expression quickly came 
over his countenance. There was a change, too, 
in Reuben at the same moment, for in the face 
upon which he was looking there now were cer- 
tain features that somehow dimly reminded him 
of the father he had known in the years long 
gone. 

“Your voice sounds like the voice of a boy of 
mine,” suggested the old man in trembling tones. 

“What was his name? ” inquired Reuben. 

“Reuben Benton.” 

“And what is your name? ” 

“My name is William Benton.” 

“How long have you been here?” inquired the 
young trapper. 

“I don’t know. It seems like many years.” 

“Do you like it here? ” 

“ Do I like it? I wish I was dead.” 

Reuben’s face was glowing with a more tender 
expression than had been seen upon it in many a 
[ 266 ] 


GREAT SCOUT AND THE GREAT EXPLORER 


day. ‘‘We’ll try to arrange it so that you won’t 
have to stay here much longer,” he said. 

“What do you mean.^^” demanded his father so 
eagerly that Reuben’s heart smote him again. 

“ I mean that I am your son and that I have come 
here to make arrangements to take you out of this 
place.” 

Abruptly, and to Reuben’s intense surprise, his 
father suddenly buried his face in his hands and 
cried and sobbed as a little child might have done. 
It was long before Reuben could comfort him, 
but when at last the sightless old man was con- 
vinced that Reuben had in reality returned and 
that he was able to provide for his wants in his 
declining years, the countenance of William Benton 
was lighter than it had been for many days. 

Nor was Reuben disappointed. In a brief time 
he was able to obtain the release of his father 
and also to purchase a little house in which they 
both might live. Reuben’s share in the furs which 
had been secured, as we know, had brought him 
no small amount of money, and through the in- 
fluence of Kit Carson he had been able to save 
most of that which he had received. Because of 
this he was now able to provide for his father, and 
there was no hesitation on the part of the young 
trapper in deciding to remain at Pain Court, or 
St. Louis, as the place now was commonly called. 

[ 267 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

With Kit Carson, however, the case was radi- 
cally different. He had not found any trace of 
his own family, and when a few days had elapsed 
his stay in St. Louis was ended. The strange 
sights of the life in the city and the activities of the 
busy city people were all interesting, but as Kit 
explained to Reuben, he wanted to be where there 
weren’t so many others, where there wasn’t so 
much noise, where he could have all the air he 
wanted to breathe and all the sky there was to be 
seen. Accordingly on the first steamboat that 
departed westward on the Missouri River, Kit 
Carson was a passenger. 

Among those who were also on board was a 
man to whom Kit Carson felt drawn almost in- 
stinctively when first he discovered him. It was 
not long before he learned that the name of the 
stranger was Lieutenant John C. Fremont, who 
at that time was conducting a band of men to ex- 
plore and survey certain regions of the great West. 

When at last young Lieutenant Fremont found 
himseff talking to the famous scout he explained 
that the guide whom he had expected to meet 
him had not appeared and that it was now nec- 
essary for him to find another. Kit Carson, in 
his quiet manner and smiling as he spoke, explained 
that he himself had had considerable experience in 
the western country and that he would be willing 
[^ 8 ] 


GREAT SCOUT AND THE GREAT EXPLORER 

to accompany the party as its guide. Somewhat 
suspicious at first, Lieutenant Fremont’s fears 
soon were allayed, and Kit Carson became the 
guide of the expedition. 

As they proceeded on their way more and more 
the daring young lieutenant became interested in 
the modest story which Kit Carson had to tell of 
his experiences in the great West; more and more 
convinced was Fremont that he had secured a man 
who was certain to be very valuable in the perilous 
expedition in which he was engaged. At last the 
party left the boat when it arrived at the mouth 
of the Kansas River, and at once the explorers 
set forth on their pathless journey. 

To the men it seemed as if the necessities of 
life which they were taking with them had been 
reduced to the smallest possible number, but the 
scout looked on their equipment with amazement. 
It had never been his privilege to sleep under 
canvas tents or cross streams in rubber boots. We 
may be sure, however, that simple as were the 
tastes of Kit Carson, he found the conveniences 
which his new friends were carrying a source of 
comfort before many days had elapsed. 

Steadily the party pushed forward on its journey 
westward. All day long the great stretches of 
level plains extended in every direction. The 
herds of buffalo were so many that only the choice 
[ 269 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


bits of those that were shot were eaten. Indeed, 
some of the men saved for cooking only the marrow- 
bones and the tongues of the buffalo. 

Then came the first sight which many of the 
explorers had ever had of the wonderful Rocky 
Mountains. And what a sight they were and are. 
Some of them stood with their summits hidden 
above the clouds and with great chasms cut into 
their sides. Some had heavy borders of trees as 
far up their sloping sides as the timberline, and 
others had rushing, noisy, clattering streams dash- 
ing down their sides from the fields of melting snow 
near the summits. 

And now Kit Carson’s experience became of 
steadily increasing value to the young lieutenant. 
More and more the friendship between the two 
men became close. Kit Carson, who knew all 
about the buffalo and the other animals of the 
plains, who was modest in his manner and yet 
wonderfully well informed concerning most of the 
points about which Fremont wished to learn, his 
skill as a hunter and his knowledge and friendship 
of the Indians, daily became of greater help to the 
explorers. 

Indeed, it was not long after this time, when Kit 
Carson was carrying a message to Santa Fe, that 
the great scout showed his fearlessness even among 
the most hostile Indians. At that time all the 
[ 270 ] 


GREAT SCOUT AND THE GREAT EXPLORER 

tribes in the vicinity were on the warpath, and 
Kit Carson was compelled to go alone on his long 
ride to Santa Fe, because most of the white men 
were afraid of the painted savages. The scout, 
however, selecting a different route from that which 
he had followed before, confidently continued on 
his way. Suddenly a band of braves were seen 
not far before him. Slipping to one side of his 
horse and clinging by one arm and one leg to the 
animal, which was running at its swiftest paces, he 
passed directly in front of the band of warriors 
without exciting any suspicion that they beheld 
anything more than a stray pony, which was flee- 
ing in terror at the sight of the red-skinned warriors. 

When Kit Carson returned from his long jour- 
ney, his friendship with the daring explorer had 
become very strong. Fremont had come to value 
not merely the immense fund of information which 
the scout possessed, but also the traits of character 
which had endeared him to almost all his acquain- 
tances. 

When the scout was returning, accompanied 
only by a young Mexican, they met a party of 
four Indians. Although Kit Carson was suspicious 
of the men, for he was aware of the discontent 
among the tribes, he nevertheless disguised his 
feelings, and when one of the Indians advanced 
toward him with outstretched hand Kit Carson 
[ 271 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAjttSON 


approached him in the same manner. When the 
brave was about to grasp his hand as a token of 
friendship he suddenly changed his tactics and 
tried to seize and obtain the gun which the scout 
was carrying. 

Instantly Kit Carson struck the treacherous 
redskin a blow between his eyes with his fist. The 
Indian fell to the ground, but he instantly leaped 
to his feet and ran back to his friends as swiftly 
as he was able. Immediately all four Indians 
turned and fled from the place. They were not 
accustomed to that method of fighting. 

When at last Carson and his young companion 
arrived at the place they were seeking, it was to 
learn that Fremont already had gone on his west- 
ward journey. 

Determined to overtake him, the scout quickly 
set forth from the fort. It was not difficult for 
him to rejoin the party which was moving in ad- 
vance of him, and plans were quickly made by 
which he was once more to become the guide of the 
explorers. He explained, however, to Fremont 
that he wished to return to Fort Bent to secure 
mules which would be necessary to carry their 
burdens when they were journeying over the 
mountains. 

It was not long before Kit Carson had secured 
the animals foF which he had left his companions, 
[ 272 ] 





“Instantly Kit Carson struck the treacherous redskin a blow 

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GREAT SCOUT AND THE GREAT EXPLORER 

and in a brief time he rejoined the men on their 
march. After they had failed to find a better 
route for the wagons through South Pass they 
decided to go to Salt Lake, of which they all had 
heard but which none had seen. 

On that difficult journey across the plains it is 
impossible to describe all the sufferings through 
which the men passed and the hardships they were 
compelled to endure. Throughout them all, how- 
ever, it was Kit Carson who proved to the lieu- 
tenant that he was equal to every emergency. 
When the men were near starvation it was his 
prowess as a hunter that secured meat for them. 
When their horses nearly dropped upon the sands 
through exhaustion and hunger again it was the 
scout who discovered the place where grass was 
to be found. When the leader one day fell into 
the depths of a rushing torrent it was Kit Carson 
who saved him from drowning. When they were 
threatened by the Indians, again the scout was 
the one upon whom all depended to obtain their 
friendship and secure permission to pass through 
the country without molestation. 

Again Fremont decided to explore the region of 
the Oregon or the Columbia River. When their 
work was ended the explorer decided to go south- 
ward to California. This was a difficult journey 
and compelled the band to cross the lofty range of 
[ 273 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Snows that were so 
deep that a man might be buried in them had to 
be crossed. Paths for the mules and horses had 
to be made. Sometimes it was necessary for the 
men to set fire to the fallen trees so that the snow 
nearby would be melted and they might obtain 
places where their blankets might be spread for the 
night. 

The determination of the leaders was shared by 
their followers, and at last they arrived at Fort 
Sutter, where, with an abundance of food and other 
fresh supplies, they soon regained their strength 
and spirits. 

While they were returning from this expedition 
Kit Carson, who had been the life and inspiration 
of all the men, chanced to meet a Mexican and his 
little boy, who apparently were in great sorrow. 
As Kit Carson spoke Spanish fluently he entered 
into conversation with the man and soon learned 
that the Indians had stolen his horses and carried 
away his friends. Without stopping to consult 
Lieutenant Fremont, Kit Carson succeeded in 
inducing one of the explorers to accompany him, 
and together the two men set forth in their en- 
deavour to regain the lost horses for the Mexican. 

There was swift riding that night for the two 
men. Nor did they stop until the sun peered 
above the eastern horizon, and then they stopped 
[ 274 ] 


GREAT SCOUT AND THE GREAT EXPLORER 


only because they had discovered not far before 
them the camp of the Indians which they were 
seeking. Instantly Kit Carson and his companion 
urged their tired horses forward, and yelling as 
loudly as their lungs permitted, the riders dashed 
into the camp. 

At that time the Indians were busy in their 
preparations for their breakfast. Before they were 
fully aware of what was occurring the Indian 
chief fell before the sure aim of Kit Carson. With- 
out retreating, although they were two against 
thirty or more, the two hardy men seized their 
pistols and continued the attack. 

The astonished redmen turned and fled from 
the place. Doubtless if they had known how many 
were in the attacking party that would have been 
the last we ever should have heard of Kit Carson 
and his deeds. As it was, however, the redmen, 
without waiting to discover the numbers of their 
enemies, fled from the spot, leaving behind them 
the horses which they had stolen. These were 
secured by the scout, and with them he returned 
to the camp and gave back to the heart-broken 
Mexican the ponies which he had lost. 


[275] 


CHAPTER XXX 


CONCLUSION 

M eanwhile Reuben Benton was highly 
prosperous in St. Louis. With the money 
which he had saved from the sale of his 
skins he had been able in a modest way to go into 
the business of buying furs when they were brought 
to the trading-post by the trappers. In this way 
he had been able to maintain a home of his own, in 
which his father remained a member as long as he 
lived. 

Whenever Kit Carson returned to St. Louis, al- 
though there were occasions when he was highly 
honoured by people of the highest standing, he 
did not forget the man who had been with him as 
a boy on his trapping expeditions in the Far West. 
The friendship between the two deepened with the 
years, and among those who were loudest in their 
praises of the scout when he had become most 
famous was Reuben Benton of St. Louis. 

There came a time in the life of Kit Carson, after 
he had left Lieutenant Fremont, when he thought 
he would be able to settle down and become a 
[ 276 ] 


CONCLUSION 


farmer. Not long before this time he had married 
a Spanish girl, whose beauty was famous all along 
the border. On the great ranch which he pur- 
chased he erected a house in which his wife was to 
make her home, and there he was busily engaged in 
building barns that would be adequate for the 
stock he expected to raise. 

Abruptly, however, there came a message from 
Fremont urging Carson to rejoin him at once; 
and the scout was unable to decline. Perhaps he 
did not wish to. At all events, he sold his farm, 
provided for his wife during his absence, and then 
set forth with one companion to join Fremont’s 
expedition. 

The Indians had told many stories of the region 
known as the Great Basin, a desert so bleak and 
perilous that no human being might expect to 
cross it safely. This was the region now to be 
explored by Fremont and his followers. Fortu- 
nately they discovered that the reports had ex- 
aggerated the difficulties as well as the desert nature 
of the region. 

All this, however, was not known until after the 
work of the explorers had been completed. So 
fearful were the men that the reports they had 
heard were well founded that they were extremely 
cautious in all their movements. 

Kit Carson, with a few men as hardy as he, kept 
[ 277 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 


well in advance of the main party. Whenever 
they discovered a place where water was to be had 
and there was grass for the horses, there they built 
fires, the smoke of which served as an invitation to 
the other members of the party behind them to 
advance. 

At last they made their way into northern 
California and there encountered their first serious 
difficulty with the Indians. The little band was 
attacked by one thousand of the savages, but 
fortunately the redmen were ignorant of the use 
of rifles, and as soon as the guns were discharged 
they fled in wild confusion. 

About this time the object of the expedition 
speedily changed. There was war declared upon 
Mexico and immediately Fremont and his fol- 
lowers enrolled themselves as soldiers of their 
country. Other men joined them and soon there 
were sufficient soldiers to form a regiment. Lieu- 
tenant Fremont was extremely eager that the 
President should be informed concerning his plans 
and work. The only way by which word could 
be sent him was by messenger, and there was no 
messenger like Kit Carson. Accordingly in re- 
sponse to the fresh appeal of Fremont, Carson set 
forth as a messenger to carry the dispatches to the 
capital of the nation. His letters, however, were 
very brief, for Fremont relied upon Kit Carson’s 
[ 278 ] 


CONCLUSION 


own ability to explain conditions as they existed 
on the Pacific Coast. 

Before the scout had completed his journey he 
met a body of soldiers on their way to California. 
General Kearny was in command of them, and as 
soon as he was informed of the purpose of Kit 
Carson he at once urged him to permit some one 
else to carry the dispatches to the President while 
the scout himself should return with the men. 
Kit Carson, however, was a man who did not con- 
sider any task completed until he himself had 
personally done all that had been assigned to him. 
When, at last. General Kearny ordered him to do 
as he had suggested there was no other course but 
to obey, and accordingly the scout returned with 
the men. It was not the last time, however, that 
he was sent over the perilous way with messages 
for the men at Washington. 

On his arrival he was amazed to find that the 
people of the capital already knew of his life in the 
West. To the modest scout this was a great sur- 
prise. He did not understand how any one could 
have heard of his work among the fur-bearing 
animals and the Indians of the West. Perhaps he 
was more surprised than any of his friends to find 
himself so much in demand. When one of the 
United States Senators said: '‘To me Kit Carson 
and truth mean the same,” we may be sure the 
[ 279 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CARSON 

modest scout was almost overwhelmed by the 
words of praise. 

When his last journey to Washington was ended 
the scout was glad to return to his family at Taos. 
There he had a house built of adobe, in which 
there was always a welcome for his friends. Even 
the Indians came and went with more freedom than 
they visited any of the homes of the white men. 
Affectionately the redmen called him “Father 
Kit,” and the confidence of the good Indian was as 
strong as was the fear of the Indian who had done 
wrong. About forty miles distant from Taos 
Kit Carson had his ranch. There his family spent 
much of their time and there, too, there was always 
a welcome not only for his old friends, but for 
visitors as well. 

Lieutenant Fremont had now become a colonel 
and his name was famous throughout the United 
States. He, too, visited the scout of whoin he 
had been so fond, and in his letters, which are still 
in existence, he relates what a good time he had at 
the home of Kit Carson, the famous scout, trapper, 
guide, and messenger. * • 

Kit Carson looked well to his farm, but his love 
of hunting was still strong. Indeed, it is said that 
his table was kept well supplied by the aid of his 
own rifie with game throughout most of the year.- 
If Kit Carson believed that his roving days were 
[ 280 ] 


CONCLUSION 


ended now, he was^soon to learn of his mistake. 
Of all his expeditions, however, only two can be 
mentioned here. On one of these, with some other 
men, mostly Mexicans, he drove nearly seven 
thousand sheep from Taos to California. Across 
the desert, through the lofty mountain ranges, the 
strange procession led by Kit Carson slowly made 
its way. At last, when the drovers arrived at their 
destination, they were able to sell their sheep for 
such high prices that every man received an ample 
reward for his labours. It was at this time that 
Kit Carson insisted upon going down the Sacra- 
mento to San Francisco. It had been many years 
since he had seen the settlement, and meanwhile 
the gold fever had drawn men of all kinds to the 
little place until it had increased very rapidly in its 
population. 

The scout, after his arrival, looked about him 
in amazement. Thirty-five thousand people were 
living in the place, which he had known only as 
a little hamlet. Even here his fame had pre- 
ceded him and there were many of the reckless 
men who tried to induce the famous scout to join 
them in their wild dissipations. With the same 
quiet strength which he had shown in his early 
life. Kit Carson steadfastly refused the invitations, 
and when he departed, his record was as clean as 
when he hacj first come. 

[ 281 ] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAESON 


Another time Carson with a large band of the 
men who once had trapped with him returned 
to the scenes of their early experiences. Again 
the men were trapping the beaver, and their suc- 
cess amazed even themselves. Many of the trap- 
pers had become so possessed with the desire to 
find gold that they had neglected or forgotten 
the wealth to be won by trapping. As a con- 
sequence the success of Kit Carson’s band was 
marvellous, and when they returned they felt more 
than repaid for their labours. 

It was on this expedition that Kit Carson lassoed 
a huge grizzly bear. The lasso, however, was not 
sufficiently strong to tame the savage beast, and 
at last the men, for the sake of their own safety, 
killed the grizzly. The following day, which was 
the Fourth of July, there was a great feast in 
which bear-steak was one of the chief articles of 
food. 

It was not long before the war between the 
States broke out. And again Kit Carson found 
that it was impossible for him to remain quietly 
in his home on the ranch near Taos. In response 
to the call of the men who knew and loved him he 
consented to serve as the colonel of a regiment 
which was raised in New Mexico. 

In the campaign which followed there is a quaint 
statement that perhaps the most striking service 
• [ 282 ] 


CONCLUSION 


rendered by the brave colonel was when his regi- 
ment one time was ordered to attack the Navajo 
Indians, who had thought the time was fitting for 
them to rebel against the white men. It is related 
that with a few of his chosen men Colonel Kit 
departed from his camp early one morning and 
attacked and scattered the warring Indians and 
then returned to the camp before the soldiers who had 
been left there under the command of the lieutenant- 
colonel were aware that there was any fighting to 
be done. 

There are some who believe that the best work 
Kit Carson ever did was later, when he became an 
Indian agent. His knowledge of the Indians and 
his understanding of their character enabled him 
to deal with them as few white men could have 
done. There were times when alone he entered 
the councils of the tribes when they were planning 
war and by his quiet and earnest appeals he in- 
duced them to abandon their warlike plans. But 
even his efforts were unavailing at times and with 
certain of the more blood-thirsty Indians. His 
activity and knowledge, however, were felt most 
when there were uprisings that sometimes were ter- 
rible in their effects upon the scattered settlers. 

Even to the last of his life he insisted upon oc- 
casional vacations. At such times he would return 
with some of his chosen friends to his old occupa- 

[m] 


SCOUTING WITH KIT CAKSON 


lions and the places which had known him when he 
was only a boy scout. 

It is reported that when at last Kit Carson be- 
came ill with the sickness that ended his life, the 
doctor who was attending his case, and who was 
one of his warmest friends, spent much time read- 
ing to the old scout the story of his life which had 
recently been published. There is no doubt that 
Carson keenly enjoyed the narrative, although 
in his modesty he declared that he did not see why 
any one should ever have considered it worth while 
to write in a book an account of his experiences and 
adventures. 

It was May 23, 1868, when Kit Carson breathed 
his last. To-day, however, if you visit the region 
in which his scouting was done you will find many 
men who claim that they knew the famous scout, 
and if you are willing to listen they will tell you 
many marvellous tales of his bravery and his 
adventures. It is also quite likely that some of 
these stories are true. 


THE END 


LBJa’23 



THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS 
GARDEN CITY, N. Y. 




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